"We are lacking a person in this role during the coronavirus crisis," said Shai. "Sharing emergency information is essential, as are receiving directives to the homefront. This is a profession that must be done by people with expertise, who know how to take into account how the public will receive the information."
Shai added that while it's fine for their to be debates about what steps to take in the crisis, the public should be receiving "coherent information."
"It cannot be that the Health Ministry says one thing and the Finance Ministry says another," said Shai.Shai is the author of "Hearts and Minds: Israel and the Battle for Public Opinion."