All Israelis must wear face masks while in public as a precaution against the coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
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"We ask you, citizens of Israel, all of you, to wear masks in the public sphere," Netanyahu said in a televised speech, adding that people could improvise in the absence of factory-produced masks.
Netanyahu also said that upcoming religious holidays, including the Jewish holiday of Passover, should be celebrated only with immediate family members.
Israel has taken stringent measures to try to halt the spread of its over 6,000 reported cases. At least 26 Israelis have died of the illness, according to the Health Ministry.
Netanyahu also vowed to give families substantial monetary benefits worth at least 500 NIS ($138) for each child to compensate for the economic cost of the pandemic, which has caused Israeli unemployment levels to spike due to the almost-complete paralysis of economic activity.
