But most of the people remained relatively normal throughout. So virtue ethics needs a huge patch to approximate consequentialism.

You are providing a consequentialist argument for a base of virtue ethics plus making sure no one makes abstract decisions, but I don't see how preventing people from making abstract decisions emerges naturally from virtue ethics at all.

I agree with your comment in one sense and was trying to imply it, as the bad results are not prevented by virtue ethics alone. On the other hand, you have provided a consequentialist argument that I think valid and was hinting towards.