Not every counterexample you don't like is "Whataboutism".

>because the vaccine mandates "melted away" due to the checks and balances of the government operating to make them go away.

No, it would be "checks and balances" if there was actually some conflict between the branches of government. If like in most jurisdictions, the restrictions were imposed by the executive, and then lifted by the executive, it's just the executive changing its mind. The Trump administration starting a trade war against china, and then backing down isn't "checks and balance", for instance. The supreme court telling the executive to stop, would be "checks and balance".