Lets see some facts.
With a health system reaching almost everyone living and working in Germany, it is no mater of money testing people. So Germany began early testing. With a fairly well financed medical setup, Germany has far more intensive care beds than other countries. In 2017 there were 33 Beds per 100.000 People, in Italy as I recall there were 12 Beds (2012) in other words in Germany there is a total of 28.000 intensive care beds, if we had the percentage like Italy, it’ll be 11.000. So there is a big difference in the hospital capacity. Actually Germany has taken in sick people from other countries, since we still do have large free capacities of intensive care beds. (It’s not We first)
Most people being infected in the beginning, were young people coming from skiing in northern Italy and Austria. So while spreading, it didn’t hit the critical population first, giving time to act.
The entire political scene stopped their quarrels and went along with the medical advised ongoing.
But even now the people are not locked up at home, with a very transparent information the government managed to reach the people, who understand the actions taken. But people can go out side for a walk and still go to work, within limits. Except for toilet paper, there have not been serious shortages, so people stay relaxed.
People effected by the crisis, are not loosing their job. Like me, we work less, so the companies pay you only the time you are still working, but the government adds 60% of the difference to you old salary. So people are not becoming unemployed. Earning less money of cause will create problems, but at least not so dramatically. Also people loosing their job will still be getting unemployment money and are still fully health insured.
That takes away a lot of stress to normal employees.
To me also a big help are scientist that have started podcasting and explaining Corona and what is happening. This scientific information backed up by the government helps a lot to have the people willingly sacrifice.
On the other side in the USA you have a president who denied the corona crisis too long, who is not listening to scientific approaches, and is used to interpret things the way they suite him and his interest. The main problem to me is, the wish covid 19 would go away by it self, and should not harm anyone, because the US is not ready for a crisis this size. As a pure capitalistic country your interest in keeping the economy going, seems bigger than to keep people save. Sorry to say, put to the US peoples lives have never been at such a high interested. The US has always accepted a certain amount of people dying for their financial and political interest.
A leader who’s main interest is he, is just not a well accepted crises manager, and will split the people. One thing you can not use in a crisis like this is, people not trusting the management.
With such a lousy health system, that leaves out so many people, it is no wonder, that testing for an example, will not work. People if they feel sick, and have no medical care plan, will not go to the doctor if they have just a fever and cough. Good chances they will still go to work, because not showing up at work, means not having money.
As I said in the beginning, the more social attitude Germans have about their health and social care, proves to be an advantage in situations like this. The people feel it is their behavior that makes the difference, and with the knowledge of the government will help, they are willing to accept the oncoming problems.
Probably the main difference is that Germany started to act early enough to make an impact on spreading of the virus.
On the other side, now in Germany we have reduced the infection rate to around 1, but what will happen once we reopen the country. But than, that is a problem all countries will face.