$BTC The total open interest has now returned to the level before the major drop on October 10.

But this is the open interest measured in coins (BTC). Therefore, in US dollars it is obviously lower, as the price has dropped since then.
Nevertheless, compared to the total market capitalization, the number of positions is now back to a similar level.
I still suspect that many of them (comfortable) shorts are from the same entities that have sold billions of spot BTC over the past few weeks. Because why not add shorts if you are moving the price down anyway? There was a lot of "support" for the shorts when the price refused to punish them, so they just relaxed.
It's good to keep an eye on the areas where a lot of open interest has been added. In case the price visits those levels again, you may see some of those shorts starting to get covered. But you need spot to take over first to reach those places.