As of 7 am Sunday all Israelis are required to wear protective masks when leaving their home according to an order signed by the DG of the Health Ministry, in an effort to slow infection of coronavirus.
Police have not been instructed to sanction people found in violation of the order and are told only to explain the necessity.
According to the new directive, anyone leaving his home must wear a protective mask that covers his mouth and nose.
The order will not apply to children under the age of six or people who cannot cover their faces because of health reasons, drivers in their cars; people alone in a building; and two workers who work regularly together, provided they maintain social distancing.
The World Health Organization said last week that there is no current evidence to recommend the use of masks. “The use of masks made of other materials (e.g., cotton fabric), also known as nonmedical masks, in the community setting has not been well evaluated."