Short Take on Germany's Coronvirus Infections

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Edward Hessler

Scientists and social scientist trying to learn why there are differences between confirmed coronavirus infections and death rates. Some countries have larger gaps than others. 

This short summary idiccusses the case of Germany and is from Nature Briefing, April 6, 2020.

Germany has the fourth-highest number of confirmed coronavirus infections — more than 100,000. But its death rate is an order of magnitude  lower than those in nearby Italy and Spain. One reason is a quirk of fate: many of the first to be infected were young, healthy people who caught the virus in Austrian and Italian ski resorts. Germany has also tested many people with few or no symptoms, lowering the death rate on paper. And the country has a robust free public-health system with lots of intensive-care beds, a trusted government whose social-distancing guidelines are widely observed and an aggressive approach to early testing and treatment.

It is based on The New York Times article and Nature Briefing suggests it is a 10 min read. It is part of the NYT's coverage of thepandemic. Click on it and you can sign up for it (no subscription required)