N.J. Thakuria, Guwahati: Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) expresses concern over the infection to a large number of media persons while they went on reporting about the Novel coronavirus 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

www.cpj.org/2020/02/cpj-safety-advisory-covering-the-coronavirus-outbr.php
or https://cpj.org/coronavirus_safety_advisory_assamese.pdf) for their own safety and securities.