Question about Germany, does anyone know?

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

British media keep on reporting that Germany has been doing pretty well with the pandemic thanks to widespread testing. I have a few friend sin Germany and they keep telling me the opposite- a few of their acquaintances came down with the virus possibly, but none got tested as apparently to do so, you need to prove that you were in touch with someone who was tested positive, except that if this person has not been tested, then you cannot prove it and will not be tested yourself. So you end up in a vicious circle, impossible to prove you came across someone who had it as they also have to prove they have in order to get tested etc.
So- for people who live there or know- is it just different in different lands, or is testing really not that great overall despite the news?

From the Irish Times today:

"Germany, which managed to push daily new infections below 1,000 before deciding to loosen restrictions, has seen regional spikes in cases linked to slaughterhouses and nursing homes. By Saturday, the country’s public health authority said new infections were above 1,000 again. German officials have expressed concerns about the growing number of large demonstrations in the country, including one in the southwestern city of Stuttgart that drew thousands of participants. Police in Berlin stepped in on Saturday after hundreds of people failed to respect social distancing measures at anti-lockdown rallies in the German capital. Chancellor Angela Merkel and the governors of Germany’s 16 states last week cleared the way for restaurants, hotels and remaining stores to reopen."

I read that news, I was more interested in how they have been keeping up with testing up until now, if it's so hard to get tested, but we're being told they test so many people. Maybe my friends' experiences are not representative?

That’s totally untrue in my experience. A colleague at DH’s German office had some vague symptoms in March but no contac ta with any positive cases etc. He was able to get a test and was confirmed negative. At that time getting at test here was only for hospital/confirmed with a positive case.

Maybe it depends on where you live then? This was not available to any of my friends, one was told that they would test get only if she had travelled abroad over the past two weeks, which of course no one has. They all live in the end area, so maybe some lands are better organised.

Our German friends have said exactly the opposite. Quick and easy access to testing for anything that might be COVID. Pretty sure they've not kept the infection rate down this far by refusing to test symptomatic people.

There is a testing study underway in the city where I live. My neighbour is part of this. But I don’t know anyone else who has been tested. Am very concerned about a second wave after the events of the weekend.