Keeping us safe, healthy, or simply about control?

I saw this cartoon photo the other day, and I think it's interesting to talk about because people have so many different interpretations of what they think about what we all experienced during this pandemic over the past two plus years. Were all the lockdowns, mask mandates, social distancing all put in place to truly keep us safe? Were they simply politically motivated? Could it be possible nobody knew what to do or what was the best plan of action?