▁Karl ▁La uter bach , ▁after ▁att ending ▁a ▁meeting ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March ▁with ▁a ▁staff ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Justice ▁later ▁testing ▁positive ▁for ▁coron av irus . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁March , ▁US ▁President ▁Trump ▁announced ▁a ▁ 3 0 - day ▁travel ▁ban ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁for ▁foreign ers ▁who ▁travel led ▁from ▁Sch engen ▁area ▁states , ▁including ▁Germany , ▁effective ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 2 3 : 5 9 ▁ED T . ▁German ▁foreign ▁polit icians ▁were ▁caught ▁by ▁surprise ▁by ▁the ▁travel ▁ban ▁and ▁critic ised ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁coordin ated ▁with ▁them . ▁They ▁compla ined ▁that ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁was ▁not ▁included . ▁Although ▁neighbour ing ▁countries ▁had ▁already ▁closed ▁schools , ▁the ▁German ▁minister ▁of ▁education , ▁An ja ▁Kar lic zek ▁rejected ▁a ▁nation wide ▁closure ▁of ▁schools , ▁while ▁stating ▁that ▁the ▁decision ▁would ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁re - ass essed ▁daily ▁as ▁the ▁pan demic ▁evol ved . ▁The ▁Kult us minister kon fer enz ▁deb ated ▁whether ▁the ▁virus ▁could ▁threaten ▁the ▁up coming ▁Ab it ur ▁school - le aving ▁exam ination . ▁Its ▁director , ▁Stef anie ▁Hub ig , ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁or al ▁exam in ations ▁in ▁Rh in eland - Pal at inate ▁between ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁would ▁take ▁place ▁according ▁to ▁plan . ▁She ▁also ▁recommended ▁can cell ing ▁class ▁tri ps ▁to ▁risk ▁areas . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁March