Lex is missing the big picture. We've depleted almost all of the affordable fossil energy. Lockdowns are a good way to reduce discretionary fossil energy use without having to admit that economic growth is over forever. And vaccine passports will be useful for governments trying to maintain order when citizens eventually figure out that the pie will be shrinking forever from now on. I doubt our leaders are smart enough to design this plan. Instead I suspect they are acting on instincts that have detected overshoot and scarcity.