Kolkata: At a time when the COVID-19 situation is worsening across the country, West Bengal here is also not lagging behind. Due to the ongoing Assembly polls, mass meetings and public addresses of the political parties have increased the chance of getting infected even more.
The life of a journalist amid the pandemic can be tough during the pandemic amid the state Assembly elections and its reportage. Now, in order to safeguard the life of journalists and photojournalists, Kolkata Press Club along with the West Bengal government has started vaccinating journalists in the state. The drive started on April 16 in the state and journalists above the age of 45 can take the vaccine. On the first day of the drive, 83 journalists got vaccinated.
The vaccines are being given by doctors and health workers of Nil Ratan Sarkar Hospital and are being monitored by the state health department.
Indian Press Council, Editors’ Guild, and Press Club of India have already marked journalists above 45 as frontline workers and demanded vaccination for them from the Union Health Ministry. Kolkata Press Club had also affirmed the demand by the Indian Press Council, Editors’ guild and Press Club of India.
In a statement by the Kolkata Press Club, it is mentioned that such a decision has been taken in keeping with the ongoing poll in West Bengal.
