Odisha On COVID-19 Alert: This Is No Time For Breaking News, Govt Advises Media

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday appealed to the media to responsibly publish reports on coronavirus.

“All of us have to bear in mind that when such an incident takes place, this is not the time for breaking news rather this is a time of a ‘breaking nation’,” chief spokesperson on COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi told mediapersons here.

“If we run after the breaking news, there is a possibility of keeping the society at a higher risk. If we arrive at the hospital with a video camera, the health facility there will be badly affected. The hospital staffs, who have entirely devoted their duty to the treatment of the patients, are the first line of defence and they are doing a dangerous job. If we distract their duty by asking them to give a byte in person or over the phone, we are putting the life of the patient at stake. Also by taking the bytes of the family members in their houses, we are also putting their lives at risk,” Bagchi added.

Requesting the media to not to reveal a patient’s identity, he said that sufficient time and space have to be given for the treatment of those affected.

“This is not like other diseases. As this killer virus has occurred for the first time in the world, it is the time for all of us to deal with the situation with humanity,” he added.

Bagchi also warned blog writers and digital media outlets against distorted reporting or else the state government will take appropriate action against them.