COVID-19 Vaccination: Odisha Writes To Centre For Inclusion Of Journalists As Frontline Workers

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has asked the Centre to include additional categories of people as Frontline Workers (FLWs) for COVID-19 vaccination.

In a letter to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, PK Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare department has stated that officials from
different department who were engaged in COVID-19 surveillance and containment
measures at state and district level are being vaccinated as FLWs in Odisha since February 2021.

However, many categories of persons who are at risk of exposure to infection due to the nature of their work have not been included as FLWs.

Following categories of people have been excluded:

– Journalists and other personnel of the print and electronic media
– Staff engaged in maintenance of essential services like electricity and water
supply
– Staff engaged at airports, railway stations and sea ports
– Sevayats (servitors) of Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri and Lingaraj Temple,
Bhubaneswar

Mohapatra requested that the above categories may be considered for inclusion as FLWs for the COVID vaccination on priority basis.

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