NEW DELHI: The Press Association on Thursday urged the Centre to include accredited journalists on a priority basis for COVID-19 vaccination considering that the media played a vital role in fighting the pandemic.
"A delegation of office-bearers, executive committee members and members of the Press Association met the Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and demanded that the government should include the accredited journalists on a priority basis for COVID-19 vaccination," an official statement issued by the Press Association said.
It said the government has rightly highlighted the vital role of the media in fighting the pandemic like other corona warriors.
"Like health professionals, security persons and many others, a number of journalists have also lost their lives on the line of duty. Like all other essential services, media houses also remained open during the whole calamity," the press body said.
It said that the Association has welcomed the "groundbreaking steps" of vaccinating all those who are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The Association took note and highly appreciated that for the first time the government has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh each to the family members of journalists who died of COVID-19 during the pandemic all over the country," it said.
During the meeting, the Press Association also urged the PIB to revive the railways concessions to the accredited journalists, which has been discontinued during the pandemic, and said that the journalists travel in trains while on professional duty.