Zenica, May 19, 2021 – The Crisis Staff of the Ministry of Health of Zenica-Doboj Canton for the fight against coronavirus approved, as the fourth priority group, vaccination of journalists and media workers from that canton, who received the first dose of Pfizer vaccine today.

The cantonal authorities fighting the coronavirus responded positively to the request of two journalists’ associations, the Association of Journalists of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the BH Journalists Association, and enabled the vaccination of 105 people from that sector today. About 25 more media workers will receive the first dose of the vaccine next week.

– According to the vaccination plan of the Federation of BiH, the cantons are left to assess what other categories should be included in the vaccination as a priority. Our crisis headquarters considered that media workers belong to the risk group considering that they are, conditionally speaking, “on the front line” all the time. They are in contact with all those who could potentially be ill. In the end, all the information and data we have on the number of media workers positive on Covid-19 during the period of the pandemic so far give the right to the Crisis Staff of ZDK to make such a decision – said the director of the Institute for Health and Food Safety Zenica Senad Huseinagic, also a member of the Crisis Staff of the Ministry of Health ZDK.

Journalists from Zenica received the vaccine at the Institute for Health and Food Safety, while in other cities and municipalities they were vaccinated at local health centers.

Member of the Steering Committee of the Association of Journalists of BiH Mirza Dajić and member of the Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association Velida Kulenović are grateful to the Crisis Staff of the Ministry of Health ZDK with Minister Adnan Jupić who, as the only canton in FBiH, recognized the importance of vaccination of media workers.

– I would like to remind that Minister Jupić assessed that media workers, after health workers, are the most endangered public workers in the course of performing their daily job. We are grateful that ZDK recognized the importance and contribution of journalists, who worked non-stop during the pandemic and informed the public in a timely manner about all important data – said Dajić.

He expressed hope that other cantons will follow the positive example of ZDK and that “our colleagues will get the opportunity to be vaccinated and protected.”

(Source: Fena)