COVID-19: Karnataka to inoculate journalists on priority treating them as frontline workers

Bengaluru, May 04: The Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to treat journalists as frontline COVID warriors and inoculate them on a priority basis. "We will treat journalists as frontline workers and vaccinate them on a priority basis," Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa told reporters after a special cabinet meeting to control the growing COVID cases in the state.

He, however, appealed to journalists not to cover incidents in a manner that it created fear among people. "There is a health emergency situation in the state as well as the country. It is the responsibility of the media to point out flaws and shortcomings but showing one issue continuously will create fear among people," Yediyurappa pointed out.

The cabinet decided to import five lakh doses of Remdesivir injection and also one lakh oxygen concentrators. The Chief Minister also warned those black-marketing Remdesivir drug by colluding with company officials, their agents and middlemen.

The cabinet also decided to appoint ministers to supervise the oxygen and Remdesivir supply, bed availability and COVID Call centres and war rooms, the Chief Minister said.

According to him, the district in-charge ministers have been asked to camp in their respective district and have been given full authority to bring COVID cases under control.

"In order to procure more oxygen and Remdesivir drug we are constantly in touch with the Central government," the Chief Minister said, adding, more number of COVID care centres would be opened in the districts. Suitable action would be taken to appoint doctors and nursing staff for COVID control, he added.