حفوظ Calls for Registration of Journalists Desiring COVID-19 Vaccination
The President of the National Council for Audiovisual Media, Abdel Hadi Mahfoud, requested media institutions, both audiovisual and electronic, to provide the National Council with the names of journalists wishing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Mahfoud clarified that priority is given to the elderly and those working on the front lines. The President highlighted that the health committee has not included journalists on its priority list, even though the number of journalists infected with COVID-19 far exceeds that of doctors and nurses, surpassing four hundred cases. He pointed out that due to the high infection rates among journalists, the World Health Organization prioritizes them as they are in contact with the public and promote COVID-19 prevention, providing the audience with essential information.
Mahfoud addressed electronic media, urging them to adhere to a calm discourse and to refrain from insults and slander, referencing derogatory remarks made by one website against the Minister of Information, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad, unjustifiably. He affirmed that should this misconduct recur, the National Council for Media will resort to revoking the media outlet's license, noting that while criticism is necessary and press freedom is protected, insults are unacceptable, condemned, and punishable by law.
Mahfoud mentioned that a significant number of journalists may not accept receiving the first vaccine, indicating that no media institution can oblige its employees to take the first vaccine, as they might be waiting for the arrival of another one. He noted that Minister of Information Manal Abdel Samad has been promised 3,000 vaccine doses as a donation to the Ministry of Information, and priority would thus be given to journalists.
Minister of Information in the caretaker government, Manal Abdel Samad, requested the National Council for Audiovisual Media and the unions of press, editors, photographers, and audiovisual media workers, as well as the Association of Media Graduates and the Journalists' Club, to provide the Ministry of Information with two lists: one including the names of their members and the other for those interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, with each entity responsible for its members only, by January 29th. Minister Abdel Samad clarified that this procedure aims to count the numbers and expedite the process of securing the COVID-19 vaccine for those working in the media sector, adding that this does not replace the registration of those wishing to receive the vaccine on the unified platform affiliated with the Ministry of Health, which remains the sole reference for obtaining the vaccine.
