Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has announced that the State Government would declare working journalists of the State as frontline COVID warriors, and they would be vaccinated on priority.

The Chief Minister said that the Government is aware of the risk involved in collecting and disseminating news to the public at this time of the pandemic. Coronavirus is highly contagious, and working journalists may get exposed to the virus any time in the cause of their professional activities, he pointed out. As such, the Government feels that it is important to take up necessary measures for their personal safety considering the invaluable service rendered by the media fraternity to society.

The second wave of the pandemic has already started affecting many people in the State, and one cannot predict with certainty how long it would last. At this difficult time, the media fraternity has a very crucial role in fighting the pandemic by circulating authentic information to the public, the Chief Minister observed.

Director (IPR) would coordinate with journalist bodies and tie up with the State Mission Director (NHM) for the vaccination drive.