New Delhi: News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has appreciated and welcomed the Covid-19 vaccination camp organised by the Uttar Pradesh government wherein media persons and their family members are being inoculated for free. The initiative began near Film City in Sector 16 A, Noida today.


Nearly 500 media persons belonging to various news channels are expected to receive the Covid vaccine jab on Day 1 while certain channels are expected to join tomorrow.


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In a press statement, Rajat Sharma, the President of News Broadcasters Association (NBA) thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for organising this free vaccination camp for journalists.


“Noida is a big centre for national electronic media and most of the TV journalists and camerapersons belonging to news channels, toil day and night to bring news about Covid-19 pandemic to viewers across the country. These media persons work and live here,” he wrote in the statement.


“I had requested the Chief Minister to start vaccination of media persons on a priority basis because they face health hazards while interviewing Covid-19 patients, relatives, doctors and other health workers. They are among our frontline Covid-19 warriors and need vaccination en masse,” he added.


The NBA President has referred to a letter he wrote to the UP chief minister on May 3 urging him to begin special free vaccination centres for all media persons at their work places in the state. The Chief Minister is reported to have promptly responded to it on the same day by directing authorities to start the vaccination drive for journalists.


The Uttar Pradesh government had ordered priority vaccination for the journalists and their families on May 4.