Health ministry urged to prioritise Covid vaccination of media workers

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has urged the health ministry to take special steps for the COVID-19 vaccination of journalists and media workers, ARY News reported on Friday.

A letter has been sent to Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan by PEMRA to highlight the role of television channels, radio, cable distributors in spreading the awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

The letter stated that journalists and media workers are continuously being affected by the virus on a daily basis. The authority urged the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to pay special attention to the health safety of journalists and media workers.

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It stated that several frontline journalists and media workers have lost their lives due to coronavirus pandemic, hence the health authorities should issue special orders for prioritising the COVID-19 vaccination of the media workers.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan has expanded the COVID-19 vaccinations for younger age group as the federal government announces to open registrations for people aged above 50 now.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar announced today to open registrations for the nationals aged over 50 years to get registered for COVID-19 vaccinations from March 30.

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In a Twitter message, Umar said that the registrations of those who are 50 plus for COVID-19 vaccination will be opened on March 30. He reiterated that the registration for people aged 60 and above has already been open too.

He asked nationals to encourage everybody who is 50 plus to go for registration for the vaccinations.

The federal government continues the coronavirus vaccination drive in phases as the stocks of COVID-19 vaccines are arriving in Pakistan.

Alongside expediting the process of vaccinations, Pakistan is witnessing a major surge in coronavirus cases during the third wave as the positivity rate of Covid cases rises up to 10.29 per cent.