trying to delve through what is happening now to discern the bigger picture and longer term aspects of being amongst the happenings

We do seem to be living through a period of turbulence - I am sure of it.
The most interesting thing is that everyone goes about their daily lives, living as best they can, as if nothing will be that different tomorrow.
We probably all know that it is probably going to be different tomorrow, and maybe we think we should do something, except that the momentum of daily life means that one simply keeps going, and the directional changes are minute (yet felt over the long term).  Rather like the massive aircraft carrier or cruise ship.  Indeed, the prevailing metaphor for many people would be that we are on a massive cruise ship (the whole earth), cruising along in luxury, or at least, relative comfort, not quite knowing where the cruise ship is really going and not really having any control over where it goes - apart from where it theoretically has said it is going (when we signed up and paid our money).  Now, let's not try to push the metaphor too much, but ...

In some ways, it is a little like being human overall.  We all know we are going to die.  Some of us are confronted with it sooner rather than later.  But we continue to live our life as we have made it, or was we think we want it, rather than radically change everything, simply because death sits on our shoulder.  Maybe it is BECAUSE death sits on our shoulder that we continue to live our life as we want it, or as best we think we can.  We all know that death is certain and immutable - so, just live.

So, maybe, it is almost the same in relation to the mega-events of the world at the moment, a dispersed reflection of the micro-world of each individual.  Our own death far outweighs the imperative of any other "death" (of others, of the world as a whole), and any other "deaths" are reflective of our own death, thus, in the face of such a certainty, we live our lives as best we can and want.

Which is not to say that things don't change.
As I said, it is as best we can and want.
Sometimes as best we can is hard and horrid.
Hence some of the stories which people are now starting to recount - about how life is returning to a hard way - like it used to be before.
And hence, the fear that one has for one's loved ones.  How hard will it be for them?  What can one do to help them?
Who knows - sometimes lots, sometimes nothing - sometimes it is simply thinking of them and nothing more to be done.  Who knows.

Mind you, little things do happen - as you have said - and the evolution of humanity continues - as much as it ever has.
All the writing of all the doomsayers (or even people simply "reporting") tends to disregard the pure adaptability of humanity.  Why are there so many of us - because we can adapt relatively well - maybe better than anything else apart from certain bacteria and other such "creatures" (actually, lots of things - but they are all rather different from our mammalian structure).

So, lots of adaptations will lead to a new world - no doubt about that.