In the wake of a large number of media persons contractingCOVID-19, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory toprint and electronic media on Wednesday, calling on journalists coveringcoronavirus-related incidents to take precautions.
The advisory also asked the management of media houses totake necessary care of their field as well as office staff.
“It has come to the notice of the Ministry that a largenumber of media persons have recently contracted COVID-19 while covering thehappenings in certain parts of the country,” it said.
In view of the fact that media persons, including reporters,cameramen, photographers, etc. are covering incidents relating to COVID-19 invarious parts of the country involving travel, amongst others, to containmentzones, hotspots and other COVID-affected areas, it is advised that all suchmedia persons may take due health and related precautions while performingtheir duties, the advisory said.
“Management of media houses is requested to takenecessary care of their field staff as well as office staff,” it said.
The advisory comes a day after the governments of UttarPradesh, Karnataka and Delhi decided to arrange COVID-19 tests for mediapersons. Some journalists from a Tamil news TV channel in Chennai testedpositive for the infection in a fresh incident involving scribes.
Also, during a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan inMumbai on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the BrihanmumbaiMunicipal Corporation (BMC) collected swab samples of 171 media persons,including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen.
Out of the 171 media persons, 53 have tested positive forcoronavirus.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar hadexpressed shock on Monday over the Mumbai incident involving media persons, andsaid an advisory is being issued to all newspaper and media establishments toensure that adequate precautions are taken.