ITV

Tag: vaccines

  • After Odisha, UP and Tamil Nadu declare journalists as frontline workers

    After Odisha, UP and Tamil Nadu declare journalists as frontline workers

    New Delhi: After Odisha, now Uttar Pradesh has declared journalists as frontline workers to be given priority in the ongoing vaccination drive and also directed authorities to allot separate centres for them where they can be inoculated.

    The new government formed in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal has also classified journalists as frontline workers, a day after emerging victorious in the Assembly elections. 

    “All journalists working in newspapers and the visual media risk their lives and their work will be considered as frontline workers in Tamil Nadu,” said Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on Tuesday.

    The devastating second wave of Covid2019 has taken a severe toll on news mediapersons, many of whom have been reporting from the ground. According to the Delhi-based Institute of Perception Studies, more than 100 journalists have died since 1 April 2020. Over 52 scribes from various parts of the country lost their lives in April alone.

    The decision comes amid several appeals by the Editors Guild of India (EGI) to the central government to give journalists priority in vaccination along with frontline workers. While several states, including Uttrakhand, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab have already declared journalists as frontline workers, the Centre has not yet made any provision in this regard.

    “Despite the support from various state governments and media organisations, the central government has not responded to this request. Now, even though vaccination has been technically opened for all above 18 years of age, there is an acute shortage of vaccines. Therefore, the Guild’s urgent demand that journalists be given priority along with other frontline workers,” said the Guild in a recent statement, while condoling the death of mediapersons.

    Welcoming the UP government’s decision on Tuesday, News Broadcasters Association president Rajat Sharma said UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed his officials to open special vaccination centres exclusively for media personnel.

    Sharma had earlier written a letter to the UP CM to make the vaccines available to all media personnel and their family members on priority. “Noida has emerged as a big centre for national electronic media, and most of the TV journalists and camerapersons work and live here. In most of the cases, TV reporters and camera persons have to work in the midst of crowds, and meet Covid2019 patients, doctors and health care workers in hospitals. Hence, the need for vaccinating them and their family members on priority,” wrote the senior journalist.

  • Vaccinate journalists on priority, Editors Guild urges government as Covid death toll rises

    Vaccinate journalists on priority, Editors Guild urges government as Covid death toll rises

    New Delhi:  As the country battles the deadliest wave of Covid2019, with a record four lakh positive cases recorded in the last 24 hours, the challenges faced by journalists and media organizations continue to intensify. Over 52 journalists from various parts of the country lost their lives due to Covid2019 in April alone.

    As India opened the vaccination drive for all adults (18-45 years), here on Saturday, the Editors Guild of India (ECI) urged the government yet again to consider journalists as frontline workers and ensure they are vaccinated on priority.

    “The Guild is extremely distressed that the central government has not yet taken any steps to hasten the vaccination of journalists over the last few months. Many of them (who succumbed to Covid2019) were freelancers and hence, were not insured. Others who worked for media organizations did not enjoy the assurance and comfort of being insured by their companies,” it stated.

    The Guild condoled the death of journalists due to Covid2019 in the past year. According to the Delhi-based Institute of Perception Studies, more than 100 journalists have died since 1 April 2020. “Many of them were reporting on the worsening pandemic and bringing to fore stories of the great human tragedy that has been unfolding before us,” said ECI. “The Guild pays homage to the fortitude and commitment to work that these journalists have displayed over the past year.”

     

     

    ECI had earlier demanded that journalists be considered as frontline workers and vaccinated on priority.  “Despite the support of various state governments and media organizations, the central government has not responded to this request,” it asserted while highlighting that that issue of shortage of vaccines has now hit Phase-3 of vaccination drive. It also urged the media organizations to ensure the safety of their journalists.

     

     

     

     

    On Saturday, two more journalists, Assam Tribune’s Delhi correspondent, Kalyan Barooah and his wife and senior journalist Nilakshi Bhattacharyya succumbed to Covid19.

    Meanwhile, Mumbai Press Club also urged the government to consider journalists as frontline workers. “It’s urgent, all lives matter,” it appealed to the government on Saturday

  • P&G pledges Rs 50 crore for vaccine doses, as Covid2019 batters India

    P&G pledges Rs 50 crore for vaccine doses, as Covid2019 batters India

    Mumbai: As India struggles to combat the record spike in Covid2019 cases, Procter & Gamble (P&G) announced on Monday that it will contribute towards the vaccination of over five lakh Indian citizens by pledging Rs 50 crore in partnership with government and local authorities in India.

    For every P&G employee in India, the company will contribute towards the vaccination of 100 Indians, it said. The FMCG major said it will also cover the vaccination cost of its 5000+ employee force in India, and their eligible immediate family members.

    With as many as 3,52,991 fresh Covid2019 cases and 2,812 deaths, India witnessed a new record high on Monday as the deadly second wave took a toll on the people. This is the fifth straight day that over three lakh cases have been recorded by the country. 

    P&G brands Whisper, Vicks, Pampers, Oral-B, Head & Shoulders and Pantene are partnering in this vaccination drive through their brand programs and will also continue to raise awareness on safety and hygiene in the country.

    P&G Indian subcontinent CEO Madhusudan Gopalan said, “P&G is committed to playing an active role in India’s fight against Covid2019. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, through our #PGSurakshaIndia program, we have stepped up to support the health, safety, and wellbeing of our employees, our consumers and the communities. In the current situation and going forward, vaccines play a critical role in containing the spread of the virus.”

    Contribution towards vaccines will be on top of P&G’s earmarked CSR funds for the current year. Under its #PGSurakshaIndia program, the company will also continue to donate products, in-house manufactured masks and sanitisers specially to aid frontline and essential workers who are tirelessly working to combat the spread of Covid2019.

    The company said it will also continue to leverage its advertising and brand voice responsibly to increase awareness on health, safety and hygiene measures among consumers and the community.

    It has so far donated more than 35 lakh health, hygiene and cleaning products (which include Whisper, Ariel, Tide, Vicks, Pampers etc) to the communities it operates in. P&G stepped up its manufacturing capabilities to produce masks and hand sanitisers to donate more than 15 lakh masks in the country’s fight against Covid2019.