Virudhunagar MP B. Manickam Tagore has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to declare all journalists as frontline workers and allow vaccination for them irrespective of their age.
In a memorandum, he said that India had the highest fatalities among journalists dying due to COVID-19 across Asia and the second-highest across the world.
He said that all journalists, including editorial staff, photographers, videographers, cameramen, technicians, technical staff and all assistants should be declared frontline workers. Even freelance journalists, digital journalists, columnists and part-time media persons should be vaccinated and certificates for vaccination should be given to them.
Press Clubs in every State should be used as COVID-19 care centres and families of journalists and media persons who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 should be offered compensation, the Congress MP said.
