Does anyone have a good strategy for dealing with Apple very long repair backlog

See if there is an Apple Authorized Repair Provider near you. These are third party businesses but as authorized repair centers their work is certified by Apple and backed up by the same warranties as Apple's repair work itself. There is one of these a few miles from me. They have been open except for a very short time, over the past 6 months. They require that customers drop off equipment at the door, by appointment only. They are doing repairs and also some sales of new Apple products as well. The repairs are done on site and you can talk directly to the repair people before, during, and after. If you can find one or more of these authorized centers, they may be able to provide you more information and schedule your repair so that you experience minimal downtime. I had an internal mechanical drive replaced with an SSD on an older iMac. They let me know when the part had arrived and that's when I took my computer in, when I was first in the queue.

Somenameforcommunities wrote:

If it takes X time for it to be repaired

I wait 10 days to send it in, it still takes X days to get it fixed. How does that do anything?

You did not read my post. I offered 3 suggestions.

1. Try using an external keyboard and wait to send it in for repair.
2. Get a second computer to use while yours is in for repair.
3. Use a computer at a library or other location while waiting for your computer

to be returned

I'm sorry you don't consifer these viable options. But again, we have no influence over Apple's shipping or repair process.

Somenameforcommunities Said:

"Does anyone have a good strategy for dealing with Apple very long repair backlog"

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Just wait it out.

Why the Wait:

Services seem to be taking much longer than normal to get accomplished. And that makes sense, because with many at home at the moment (due to the Coronavirus Pandemic), users have more free time on their hands to use the devices. With more interactions that take place, the more likely a damaged device. Hence, Supply & Demand for servicing devices has risen.

Try using an external keyboard and wait to send it in for repair. Or get a second computer to use while yours is in for repair. Maybe use a computer at a library or other location while waiting for your computer to be returned.Regardless, it takes time to ship and repair a computer. You will be without one while it is in for repair.

Then I don't know what you expect. We are users like you. We can not influence the speed of shipping or repair. You asked for a strategy, I offered a couple of alternatives for you.