LONDON, U.K. -- Hello Berlin.

It seems as if Germany is doing a lot of things right in this pandemic. By implication, that means other European countries have been doing things鈥 well鈥 less right.

Britain鈥檚 chief medical officer conceded that point, even as the nation was fretting and worrying over its prime minister. After headlines about 鈥淪ick Boris fighting for his life,鈥 Downing Street insisted he was improving, even sitting up and engaging with medical staff. And as they鈥檇 been saying for days, he was 鈥渋n good spirits.鈥

So, about Germany.

It simply 鈥済ot ahead鈥 in testing people for the virus, according to the U.K.鈥檚 voice of medical wisdom, Prof. Chris Whitty -- who, by the way, was off for a while with his own COVID-19 symptoms. Which makes me ask: Why was Prof. Whitty able to shake off the virus and Boris Johnson wasn鈥檛?

Germany is testing up to a half a million people a week, as a lot of other countries struggle to do far less. Consider this fact: when the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic killed millions, Germany was a ruined state destroyed by war. As it was in 1945.

Over then to my friend and , who鈥檚 been living and working in Berlin for a few years.

鈥淚t feels like we鈥檙e in a conflict zone.鈥

Nick would know about that.

He works freelance for German state television, where they keep track of where you sit. If somebody at a nearby desk comes down with symptoms, they disinfect the area and send you home. He has not been tested yet.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 been told to go and get tested by the government. I鈥檝e seen stories of people lining up at clinics at six in the morning.鈥

Germany鈥檚 mortality rate is said to be less than two per cent. Compare that with the horror of a 12-per-cent death rate in Italy. That鈥檚 what makes Germany stand out during these dark days. Fewer people are dying there.

鈥淧eople feel confident about the government鈥檚 response,鈥 he told me. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big deal when you鈥檙e afraid of dying.鈥

Nick鈥檚 been jogging down Berlin鈥檚 great empty avenues in a strange freeze-frame of life suspended. Running to a desolate Brandenburg Gate.

鈥淵ou can run down the middle of the street if you want.鈥

OK, let鈥檚 make that a point of lockdown discussion. How much more can people take? A little? A lot? Or, I鈥檝e had it!

Raise those disinfected hands.

I ask that because Paris just banned all outdoor exercise between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. No jogging, no cycling, no rollerblading. Imagine what that means? No bike riding in the land of the Tour de France -- unless you鈥檙e just hopping out to buy groceries.

I thought the U.K. was being extreme last weekend when it banned sun bathing. I also note -- with satisfaction -- that you can still walk your dog in Paris.

The last word for today, the last two words actually: baked beans.

The British seem to love their baked beans. So much so that in recent weeks, the Tesco supermarket giant sold six million times during coronavirus panic buying. Six million. Oh yeah, and 3.3 million tins of tomatoes.

I say鈥hatever it takes to get you through this collective coronavirus nightmare, go for it.

Goodbye Day 16. Why does it feel like last Wednesday?