Vaccinating journalists top priority, separate centres to be set up: Yogi Adityanath

Adityanath said the state government recognises journalists’ efforts to cover the pandemic by putting their lives at risk daily. He instructed officials to ensure every journalist gets vaccinated.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said journalists and their families would receive special consideration and priority in the Covid-19 vaccination and separate vaccination centres would be set up for them.

Adityanath said the state government recognises journalists’ efforts to cover the pandemic by putting their lives at risk daily. He instructed officials to ensure every journalist gets vaccinated.

“If required, go to their workplaces and administer free vaccination. All those above 18 years of age will be vaccinated in the families of journalists,” the Chief Minister said.

It added, “There are a large number of journalists and freelancers working in newspapers, electronic media as well as web portals in the state. While they work, there is no obligation of time. In such a situation, the state government has given instructions to inoculate journalists and their families so as to protect them from the deadly coronavirus. On the direction of the Chief Minister, the state officials have started the process of vaccination of journalists on a priority basis and allotment of separate vaccination centres at a rapid pace.”

The government said all journalists, including freelancers and those who are not accredited, would be eligible to receive the benefits of the Centre’s welfare scheme that provides Rs 5-lakh financial aid to dependents if a journalist dies.

To be eligible, a journalist must be recognised by the Government of India or any state government or Union Territory. If they are not accredited, they should have been associated with print, electronic or digital media organisations for at least five years to be eligible to receive the benefits. The government said media channels and organisations had been working non-stop since the start of the pandemic and could be referred to as “frontline warriors”.

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