A journalist being vaccinated at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital yesterday. Media Ministry Secretary Jagath P. Wijeweera, Director General of Government Information Mohan Samaranayake and Director (Media) of the Ministry K.P. Jayantha were present. Picture by Sulochana Gamage
The COVID-19 vaccination programme for journalists commenced at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital (SJH) yesterday with the intervention of the Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi at the request of Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
Issuing a media release yesterday, Minister Rambukwella stated that a number of staff members of some media institutions, including journalists, have already been affected by the virus and if it spreads further in the future, it will be difficult to provide proper information to the public.
Groups including heads of media institutions, journalists as well as media organisations have recently made requests for vaccination.
There are over 6,000 journalists in the country who have ID cards issued by the Government Information Department and the Ministry of Mass Media has instructed the respective media institutions to direct the relevant journalists for vaccination according to priority. Accordingly, the vaccine will be given to journalists at several centres.
