By June 1, Germany had over 180,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which made it the world’s ninth-worst affected country.
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has wreaked considerable havoc on the world since the beginning of 2020. Still, it seems some countries have managed a better public health response to the crisis than others. One of the countries hailed in that regard is Germany, whose success is attributed in no small part to strong government leadership. Two figures in particular have garnered acclaim: Chancellor Angela Merkel, and her chief of staff (COS) Helge Braun, who is a doctor by training.
By June 1, Germany had over 180,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which made it the world’s ninth-worst affected country. Yet Germany’s fatalities stand at 8,546, or about 4.7 per cent of the world’s total coronavirus deaths, remarkably low in comparative terms. This amounts to 103 deaths per million inhabitants, a considerably lower number than neighbouring countries. In comparison, Italy and the UK have suffered 554 and 579 deaths per million inhabitats respectively.
A recent piece in the Financial Times credited the “well-oiled government” of Chancellor Merkel and her COS for having “avoided the screeching policy zigzags seen elsewhere.” Interestingly, Chancellor Merkel and her COS instituted one of the least stringent lockdowns in Europe, with a large proportion of businesses and factories continuing to operate as usual. The lockdown was also quickly repealed in comparison with other jurisdictions, and the healthcare systems was not overwhelmed.