Educate people about importance of vaccines, COVID-appropriate behaviour, I-B minister tells media

New Delhi, May 31: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on Monday urged the media to "continuously" inform and educate people about the importance of COVID vaccines and COVID-appropriate behaviour so that all those above 18 years can be inoculated by December this year.

In a video message on Twitter, the minister said the COVID pandemic is a major crisis and vaccination is "the right treatment" for it. But, even after inoculation, people should take all precautions and follow COVID-19 safety protocols like maintaining distance, wearing masks and keeping hands clean, he said.

"COVID-19 is a major crisis. Inoculation is the right treatment. People should also understand that even after inoculation, they should take precautions like maintaining a distance of two yards, wearing a mask and washing hands," Javadekar said in Hindi.

"I urge all the media-electronic, print and digital-to bring all these precautionary measures before the people again and again, and create such an atmosphere in society that all those above 18 years are vaccinated by December," he added. Javadekar said a vaccination camp was organised for his ministry's employees and their family members earlier in the day.

"I congratulate the I-B ministry for organising a vaccination camp today for its employees including the contractual staff with their family members. "Earlier in the month, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) had inoculated nearly 400 officials of various media units. This is a good initiative," he tweeted.