COVID: From Odisha to Punjab, states that have declared journalists as frontline workers

As the nation grapples with the devastating second wave of COVID-19, health care and frontline workers are at the forefront of the battle against the deadly virus. Frontline workers include the personnel from state and central police organisation, Armed Forces, home guards and civil defence volunteers including disaster management volunteers and municipal workers, prison staff, revenue officials engaged in containment and surveillance activities, etc.

Delhi based Institute of Perception Studies has stated that 139 journalists have succumbed to COVID-19 from 1st April 2020 to 1st May 2021 of which 81 journalists have lost their lives in a span of one month i.e. 1st April 2021 to 30th April 2021. Although initially journalists were not put under the category of frontline workers despite the immense risk of contracting COVID-19 due to their professional obligations, some states have recently categorised journalists and reporters as frontline workers and have also announced vaccination on a priority basis for them as in the case of frontline workers.

Here is the list of states which announced journalists as frontline workers:

Odisha: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday declared working journalists of the state as frontline Covid warriors and approved a proposal to this effect. The chief minister said journalists are doing a great service to the state by providing seamless news feed and making people aware of coronavirus-related issues.

"As many as 6,944 working journalists of the state have been covered under the Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana. They are getting health insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh each," a statement issued by the CMO said while adding that Odisha has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 15 lakh for the next of kin of journalists who die of COVID-19 while performing their duty. PTI attributing sources have also stated that journalists will now get priority in the vaccination programme in Odisha.

Bihar: On the instructions of CM Nitish Kumar, the Bihar government on Sunday decided that the journalists be given the status of frontline workers and will get COVID vaccination on a priority basis. A statement from the CMO read that all the journalists accredited with the Information and Public Relations Department at the state level and also non-accredited scribes authenticated by the district public relation officers, from print, electronic, and web media will be considered as frontline workers who will be given vaccines on a priority basis.

Tamil Nadu: CM-elect and DMK chief MK Stalin on Tuesday announced that all journalists in the state will be considered as frontline workers, adding that journalists will be entitled to all the facilities which are given to frontline workers, implying that journalists will be entitled to vaccination on priority. 

Madhya Pradesh: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced all accredited journalists will be considered as frontline workers. The Chief Minister noted that journalists were at risk of contracting COVID-19 while doing their duty amid the deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our journalist friends are carrying out their duties by risking their lives during the COVID-19. We have decided to declare all the recognized journalists as 'frontline workers' in Madhya Pradesh," the CM tweeted.

Punjab: CM Amarinder Singh on Monday announced that all accredited and yellow card journalists in the state will be considered as frontline workers in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Even power corporation employees in the state have also been brought under the ambit of frontline workers.

At a high-level Covid review meeting, CM Amarinder Singh stated the journalists will be eligible for all the benefits that the frontline workers are entitled to, including vaccination on priority.

West Bengal: Soon after her landslide victory in elections, the results of which were out on May 2, CM Mamata Banerjee during a press conference announced journalists as Covid warriors. She stated that the journalists have taken risks and worked on the field like other frontline workers.

Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand was the first state which declared journalists as frontline workers. While proclaiming journalists as frontline warriors, the state government on April 4 announced COVID-19 vaccination for all of them without any age restriction. 

Uttar Pradesh: CM Yogi Adityanath chaired a cabinet meeting on Tuesday after which it was announced that journalists will be considered as frontline workers. Moreover, the state government also announced free vaccination not only to the journalists but also to their family members. The state government is also working on a proposal for either setting up separate vaccination centres for journalists or the vaccination centres would be set up in media organisations to vaccinate the journalists.

Karnataka: The Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to treat journalists as frontline COVID warriors and inoculate them on a priority basis. The decision came after Chief Minister Yediyurappa chaired a cabinet meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the state. He urged the reporters to refrain from reporting in a manner that creates fear among the people.

"We will treat journalists as frontline workers and vaccinate them on a priority basis," he said while adding, "there is a health emergency situation in the state as well as the country. It is the responsibility of the media to point out flaws and shortcomings but showing one issue continuously will create fear among people."

Although the Maharashtra government has not made any such announcement on journalists, Maharashtra Minister Balasaheb Thorat on Tuesday said he has written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urging him to consider journalists as frontline workers to ensure that they get vaccinated against COVID-19.

(IMAGE: PTI / Pixabay)