This is the very reason for the creation of the suburbs. This was one of the things I discovered, when I was researching the purpose of the suburban setting, in horror films, and why so many of those films share the same theme, of being invaded by some evil entity trying to destroy its tranquility, with the monster defeated, and status quo preserved, by the end of the film.

Covid is the monster. Their world, their status quo has been entirely disrupted and they wish to return to the illusory tranquility of simply consuming things, of life “before”.

The suburbs were can be defined as places not just for consumption, but places to engage in consumption. Since the Reagan era there has been an entire generation of white people whose identity has been defined by their ability to consume goods and services. So yes, I think you’re spot on, in that regard.