Karnataka: Journalists declared as frontline workers; will be given COVID-19 vaccine on priority

Karnataka along with a few states have announced free COVID-19 vaccination for journalists.

Karnataka journalists are now frontline workers! Amid the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive across India, the state government of Karnataka has declared journalists as frontline workers. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, after a cabinet meeting in Bengaluru, has announced that journalists will be administered vaccine for novel coronavirus on a priority basis. Karnataka along with a few states have announced free COVID-19 vaccination for journalists. Earlier, the states of Punjab, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had declared journalists as frontline workers, according to an IE report.

The decision to announce journalists in Karnataka as frontline workers was taken at a cabinet meeting held in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening. Besides, the CM has directed district in-charge ministers to oversee the provision of beds, oxygen, Remdesivir as well as other requirements in their respective districts. Jagadish Shettar, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, has been appointed the in-charge of Oxygen Centres. Shettar will coordinate with the Centre to ensure there is no shortage of oxygen in the state, Yediyurappa said.

Deputy CM Dr C N Ashwathnarayan has been asked to coordinate with Karnataka’s all medical colleges and ensure that there is no shortage of Remdesivir and human resources injection for covid treatment. The requirement of beds for covid patients in government and private hospitals will be looked after by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Revenue Minister R Ashoka. While Forests Minister Arvind Limbavali will be in charge of various war rooms as well as call centres, the CM added.

At the cabinet meeting, it was also decided that the Karnataka government will coordinate with the central government for an increased supply of Remdesivir. Meanwhile, the state government has discussed with the Centre on the use of oxygen supplied by Zindal company of Karnataka for the state as the number of COVID-19 cases in the neighbouring state of Maharashtra has dropped, Yediyurappa said.