Health Minister Yuli Edelstein delivered an address Monday evening on the government's efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today we held a difficult government meeting, and in the end we came to a decision. Each and every part of the decision will have an impact on the lives of many citizens, their livelihoods, their leisure time, and their way of life," Edelstein said.

"This should not be taken lightly. Indeed, an integral part of the government's decision is the provision of assistance to businesses that are harmed [by these restrictions]. I am pleased that the prime minister has instructed the Finance Minister to present a practical plan within 48 hours. A decrease in morbidity is linked to the strengthening of the economy, while an increase in morbidity will lead to real damage to the economy. We must flatten the curve in order to save lives and to save the economy," he explained.

"The state of the economy and the health situation are interdependent. We live with a balance between the two. We must understand - the simple steps that the government took today will create hope. We just hope that in two weeks we will not have to declare a long-term lockdown. Nobody wants that," Edelstein added.

According to him, "The fight against the corona virus is a complicated, difficult and complex fight - against an epidemic that does not always behave as expected, an elusive enemy that can hide very well. The entire world is experiencing this feeling of uncertainty that creates a lot of frustration. We have to carefully our decisions when fighting this plague, following in-depth discussions that will enable us to act dynamically, just like a battlefield commander."

The Health Minister said that he would appoint a special director to take charge of the fight against the coronavirus. "The government and the public must shoulder the responsibility for the treatment of the coronavirus together, Only together can we defeat this plague. So what are we doing? First of all, I have decided to appoint a director for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic. I will announce my decision soon. His job will be to take charge of the issue, from testing to cutting off the chain of infections and other actions related to the virus."