▁were ▁not ▁taken ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁administrative ▁orders . ▁The ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Robert ▁Koch ▁Institute ▁war ned ▁that ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁inf ected ▁could ▁rise ▁to ▁up ▁to ▁ten ▁million ▁in ▁two ▁months ▁unless ▁social ▁contacts ▁were ▁reduced ▁significantly , ▁and ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁minimum ▁distance ▁of ▁ 1 . 5 ▁metres ▁to ▁be ▁maintained ▁in ▁all ▁direct ▁contact . ▁The ▁government ▁began ▁to ▁bring ▁back ▁thousands ▁of ▁German ▁trav ellers ▁str and ed ▁in ▁non - E U ▁countries ▁with ▁char ter ▁fl ights . ▁The ▁public ▁health ▁ins urance ▁companies ▁assured ▁to ▁cover ▁all ▁exp enses ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁crisis ▁with ▁no ▁limitation . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁March , ▁discuss ions ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁states ▁and ▁Mer kel ▁regarding ▁a ▁cur f ew ▁were ▁set ▁for ▁ 2 2 ▁March . ▁A ▁German ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁breath ing ▁mask s ▁for ▁hosp it als ▁and ▁do ctors ▁compla ined ▁that ▁his ▁warnings ▁in ▁early ▁February ▁that ▁mask s ▁were ▁s elling ▁out ▁and ▁his ▁offer ▁to ▁reserve ▁mask s ▁for ▁hosp it als ▁had ▁remained ▁un answer ed ▁by ▁the ▁health ▁min istry . ▁The ▁min istry ▁explained ▁to ▁the ▁press ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁received ▁the ▁messages ▁but ▁de emed ▁itself ▁not ▁responsible ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁numerous ▁offers ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁replied ▁to ▁due ▁to ▁prior it isation . ▁Some ▁hosp it als ▁reported ▁they ▁were ▁already ▁facing ▁short ages ▁of ▁protect ive ▁g ears . ▁A ▁survey ▁revealed ▁that ▁more