67.2 Overall Score

Germany

  • 50.5 Public Health
    Directives
  • 35 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication
  • 50.5 Public Health
    Directives
  • 35 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication

Germany has improved its score a bit in the past few months, after a sharp decline in the fall. Its improvements in contact tracing, which are already likely underestimated in the data, and restrictions on public gatherings, have played important roles in this turnaround, although there has been a recent spike in cases, likely due to both recent restriction relaxations and vaccine rollout issues.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Germany’s healthy population, relatively low level of inequality, and accessible healthcare system contributed to high health and social capacity prior to COVID-19.

  • Debt/GDP ratio 61.7%
  • GDP/capita $55,306
  • Gini coefficient (out of 100) 31.9
  • Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) 3
  • Healthcare access score (out of 100) 86.4
  • Hospital beds/1,000 People 59.9

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Aug 1.)
50.5

Public Health Directives

Germany’s public health policy scores around the median, primarily due to robust contract tracing and more emergency healthcare funds than any other country in the Index; its score was brought down by a relaxed lockdown and limited testing.

  • Stay at home order 1
  • Public gathering restrictions 4
  • School closings 0
  • Public event cancellations 2
  • Testing policy 3
  • Emergency healthcare investments/capita $790.13
  • Travel restrictions 3
  • Tests/1,000 people 1
  • Contact tracing 1
35

Financial Response

Germany’s generous relief policies include a large stimulus package, but its score is relatively weak due to the absence of any opportunities for debt forbearance.

  • Financial stimulus as share of GDP 17.7%
  • Income support 2
  • Debt forebearance 0
100

Fact-Based Communication

Chancellor Merkel has delivered regular press briefings at which her scientific approach has been praised.

  • Reliance on science/fact based information 0
  • Press freedom 0

COVID-19 Status as of Aug 1

Germany is consistently strong in this category, particularly its low positivity rate.

  • Total deaths 9,141
  • Death rate per 100K 109.1
  • Total cases 209,653
  • Cases per 100K 2,502
  • Percent of positive tests 0.8
Case Trend Line
Daily cases Level 1 Lockdown Level 2 Lockdown
Date Status New Cases/1M
1 Apr 20 Smaller shops reopen 31.81
2 May 04 Some schools and cultural venues reopen 13.61
3 May 26 Restrictions are eased on gatherings of up to 10 people 6.47

Differentiating Factors

Compared with Neighboring Countries
  • 65.6
    Italy 247,537
    Cases     4,094
    Per 1M     35,141
    Deaths

    While hit hard by COVID-19, Italy’s reliance on facts and improved contact tracing has helped slow the spread and slightly improved its overall score since January.

  • 45.8
    Spain 288,522
    Cases     6,171
    Per 1M     28,445
    Deaths

    Spain's score jumped since January to just over the median, having implemented stricter public health policies, but the country's minimal stimulus support still drags down its overall score.

  • 66.1
    France 187,919
    Cases     2,879
    Per 1M     30,265
    Deaths

    France maintained its improved public health policy from the early fall, keeping its score relatively strong, although poor contact tracing and a relatively small stimulus package kept it from being higher.

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New Zealand

Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

  • Debt to GDP ratio
  • Infant mortality rates
  • Hospital beds per 1,000 people
  • Gini coefficients measuring inequality
  • Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

  • Stay-at home orders
  • School-closing policy
  • Public-gathering restrictions
  • Cancellation of public events
  • Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
  • Emergency healthcare spending per capita
  • Travel restrictions
  • Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

  • Stimulus package as a share of GDP
  • Income support
  • Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

  • Instances of misinformation by leadership
  • Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

  • Death rates per 1 million
  • Case rates per 1 million