That's somewhat true. They will do some damage, no question, if you hit the right spot like the chest and abdomen. In terms of pure stopping power however, .22 is not that great. At least a 9mm or .380 for that.
(If you're using subsonic rounds, like the ones I use most for my Wrangler, then yes, plinking and varmint hunting is all you can really do. I'd watch for copper jacket rounds rated to at least 40 grain/1200 FPS if you want okay stopping power, though there are hollow points you can buy for LR and magnum variants.)
That said, Ruger and many other companies like Beretta are making models of some of their guns chambered for .22, so even if they don't do much damage per bullet, you can load up a lot of rounds in one magazine compared to a 9mm or .380. And bricks are cheap, about 6 to 9 dollars for 50 or so.
This is why I'm glad I got at least one .22 gun. If there's an itch to scratch, that'll do it.
As for 9mm, aside from setting sales alerts on web stores and checking brick-and-mortar stores as soon as they open, there's not much we can do for direct purchases. Demand is insane these days.
Won't do much unless there are swift legal and financial penalties for any company violating these laws.