The Delhi Government has written a letter on Thursday urging the Centre to allow journalists to become a beneficiary in the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive, officials said.
The Kejriwal-led government has appealed to the union government to consider the journalists as frontline workers who need vaccination against the Covid-19 on a priority basis.
The officials said that the Delhi government has pointed out to the Centre that the journalists have more risk of getting infected by Covid due to fieldwork. Therefore, vaccination for them is necessary.
“The mass media in all its forms is a vital bridge between the government and the public. A group of workers that have been in the forefront with the health workers in the most difficult times is that of media personnel. Throughout the pandemic, the media has continued to play an active role in keeping the people informed about the disease, its consequences, prevention, efforts of the health and other concerned departments and what the people are expected to do to keep themselves safe,” the letter read.
“Going out in the field, visiting hospitals to gather information, interviewing patients/attendants and their treating healthcare providers exposes them to the hazard of infection same as the other frontline workers. It is requested that this personnel be placed in the category of frontline workers so that protection of the vaccination can be offered to them,” it noted.
On Wednesday Kejriwal had tweeted: “Journalists are reporting from most adverse situations. They shud be treated as frontline workers and shud be allowed vaccination on priority. Delhi govt is writing to centre in this regard”.