New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India Friday condoled the deaths of journalists who have died due to Covid-19 since the pandemic began last year, noting how their bravery helped bring to the fore the “great human tragedy that has been unfolding before us”.
In view of the mounting fatalities, the Guild further noted its distress at the central government not taking steps to hasten the vaccination of journalists who have been on the frontline since the beginning. It therefore demanded that journalists be vaccinated on priority along with frontline workers and urged media organisations to ensure the safety of their staff.
Read the full statement here:
The Editors Guild of India condoles the deaths of journalists who have died because of Covid-19 over the past year. In April 2021 itself, more than 52 journalists died because of the virus. Further, according to the Delhi based Institute of Perception Studies, more than 100 journalists have died since the lockdown was first declared from April 1, 2020. Many of these were brave journalists who had been reporting on the worsening pandemic and bringing to fore stories on the great human tragedy that has been unfolding before us. It also includes editors and other members of the editorial teams who have ensured that newsrooms keep churning out these stories without any break. The Guild pays homage to the fortitude and the commitment to work that these journalists have displayed over the past year.
The Guild is extremely distressed that the central government has yet not taken any steps to hasten the vaccination of journalists over the last few months. Many of them were freelancers and hence were not insured. Others who worked for media organizations did not necessarily enjoy the assurance and comfort of being insured by their companies. To make matters worse, besides the health risks borne out of such reporting, there have been the additional pressures from some of the state governments and agencies that have threatened against independent reporting of the pandemic in an effort to control the media narrative.
Few weeks ago, EGI had demanded that journalists be declared as frontline workers and be vaccinated on priority to protect them from the new variant. Despite the support from various state governments and media organisations, the central government has not responded to this request. Now, even though vaccination has been technically opened for all above 18 years of age, there is the acute shortage of vaccines.
Therefore the Guild’s urgent demand that journalists be given priority along with other frontline workers. The Guild also urges all media organisations to take all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their journalists.
Also read: Should consider journalists frontline workers, give them vaccine soon, Editors Guild asks govt
I have nothing against journalist getting vaccination on priority. The central school teachers were made to join duty last June to take online classes. In between they were also ordered to attend election duties. Thousands or teachers were exposed to lakhs who came to vote. After this they were made to continue online class. As a result large number were tested Covid positive so also their. The purpose of online was to make them take classes from home. The senseless authorities enforced the office staff rules. So it’s important that teachers should be treated as education warrior and given Vaccine along with journalist
I thinks journalists should get priority in getting vaccine. But they should get it in re-education camp, so they become Journalists, rather than propagandists of Ancien Regime
Missing name ROHIT SARDANA, I have high regard for The print, but any good reasone you havent reconise his name
Yes.. Journalist are the ones who are creating panic.. inoculate them first
Journalist should have no priority. They don’t add much to health or manufacturing, business or service sector. People working in those sectors should have priority over journalists.
No special treatment for liars in the public life. Whatever they say, it is designed to sell the news. It is not the truth.
This should have been done at the outset. Journalists have been on the front lines of the pandemic, bringing us authentic coverage. Not all of them are young. The mutated virus is hitting people from all age groups. Instead of hoarding vaccines, the government should have focused on increasing their availability. Encouraged employers, using CSR funds if necessary, to cover their employees and their families. One phone call from Minister, actually Secretary, I & B should suffice.
Journalists can get vaccine in private clinic by paying for it. What these guys want is free vaccine. They are not part of essential services.