I do believe things will improve even before the vaccine--I certainly hope so.

Everything I have been reading (and I've probably been consuming too much material on the pandemic for my own good, but there we are) indicates that there are several things other than a vaccine that would improve the situation. As far as I can tell, all of them are in progress to some degree. It's just a matter of doing enough fast enough and in a adequately efficient and coordinated way. I'm hopeful that these new coalitions of governors can help provide some of that (and also show the way for the rest of the country).