Journalists are frontline workers, must be vaccinated: Arvind Kejriwal

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the Delhi government will write to the Centre, requesting it to consider journalists as frontline workers so that they are considered for Covid-19 vaccination on priority.

“Journalists are reporting from most adverse situations. They should be treated as frontline workers and should be allowed vaccination on priority. Delhi government is writing to the Centre in this regard,” Kejriwal tweeted.

The Delhi chief minister’s tweet came hours after the Federation of All India Medical Association wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the same.

“Journalists cannot work from home, and have put their lives and health at risk on a daily basis to cover both the Covid-19 pandemic and other matters of public concern, including matters critical to health and safety of the public, and critical to our democracy… While others have the option to walk away from large crowds, or to avoid members of the public that don’t follow ICMR health guidelines, these journalists repeatedly put their own safety at risk to document what is occurring and inform their communities – large and small. As a result, we have seen journalists become infected, hospitalised and even, unfortunately, succumb to Covid-19,” read the association’s letter.

Delhi is going through its worst phase of Covid-19, with daily cases crossing 17,000 and active cases above 50,000-mark, as per government data.