- not handling the pandemic

- tracking the population

You can get information about people assembling in other ways:

- helicopters

- intel gathering

- cops and army patrolling dressed as civilian

- create groups of citizen in town responsible to patrolling

And probably many I don't know about.

Then you add to that: keeping to communicate with the public, testing a lot, providing masks, etc.

The fact you are using this argument shows how much powerful the culture about "the end justify the mean" and "trusts the authority to deal with this" is.

I remember the first time I saw Jack Bauer on TV decapitating a terrorist in 24 to get an information. I though, "wow, they are really creating a new normal here".

That's what it is about: creating a new normal. And pretending there is no other choice, while nobody is trying to provide any.