JFA expresses concern over Covid-19 infection to media persons

Guwahati: Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) expresses concern over the
infection to a large number of media persons while they went on
reporting about novel corona virus outbreak across India. It terms the
news of over 50 journalists turning Covid-19 positive in a single city
as horrible and requests every scribe on the ground to follow the
necessary guidelines.
Local reports reveal that at least 53 media persons including
reporters, video journalists, news photographers in Mumbai were tested
positive for the deadly virus. Chennai reported two cases of media
Covid-19 positive and Bhopal witnessed one scribe with the corona
infection. All affected journalists were reportedly sent for
quarantine.
“While appealing to all working journalists for maintaining health
protocols in the time of a pandemic, we also urge the government to
extend the benefits of Rs 50 lakh insurance cover to media persons on
duty hours in the line of health professionals, sanitation workers,
police personnel etc,” said a statement issued by JFA president Rupam
Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria.
The news media, which has been exempted from the nationwide lockdown
to carry out its duty, carries the obligation to inform the people
about the Covid-19 pandemic along with the authority’s efforts to
combat the catastrophe, JFA preaches the scribes to follow  some
recognised guidelines (like those included in the Committee to Protect
Journalists site
cpj.org/2020/02/cpj-safety-advisory-covering-the-coronavirus-outbr.php
or cpj.org/coronavirus_safety_advisory_assamese.pdf) for their
own safety and securities.