Prof. Nachman Ash says he believes country will hit targets for next stage of emergence from lockdown, asks businesses to 'hang on, it's just around the corner'

At briefing for Haredi media, Nachman Ash also urges 'responsible' celebration of the coming Purim festival to prevent further spread of coronavirus

As ministers warned of potentially devastating consequences of reopening studies, PM says situation 'very complex, we have very slim security margins'

Cabinet set to convene to discuss reopening of school system on Tuesday; plan allows full indoor school week for kindergartens and grades 1-4 and 11-12 in low-infection localities

Virus czar condemns mass violations of lockdown rules at burial of rabbis Yitzchok Scheiner and Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, urges police to bring violators to justice

Officials push for weeklong extension of all restrictions, as education minister tells local authorities to prepare for schools to reopen next week

Nachman Ash says government will lift restrictions more slowly than planned to prevent another outbreak; Moderna says vaccine shields against British, South African variants

Ash warns UK variant may cause 30% more serious illnesses, says up to 50% of new cases are from variant; public health head: it's causing worrying levels of infection in children

Pfizer says efficacy of shot after such a long period is untested; Israeli virus czar had claimed 1st dose less effective than anticipated

After Nachman Ash quoted as saying first shot of vaccine provides less protection than company initially indicated, Health Ministry says comments taken out of context