We spread news, not Covid-19

The Union Home Ministry guidelines include media in the list of essential services permitted to operate during the lockdown.

“Newspapers carry tremendous credibility and the local page of a region is widely read by people,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said before the lockdown began on March 25; the Union Home Ministry guidelines include media in the list of essential services permitted to operate during the lockdown. However, at a time when the world is grappling with the spread of the infectious Covid-19 disease, it is not hard to understand why concerns persist around the delivery of newspapers. Yet, these are unscientific and misplaced.

Experts are clear that there is no evidence that newspapers can transmit the virus. (Pratik Chorge/HT file photo. Representative image)

Experts are clear that there is no evidence that newspapers can transmit the virus. George Lomonossoff, a professor at the John Innes Centre, told BBC, “Newspapers are sterile because of the way they are printed and the process they have been through.” “If this was happening, we would have said so to stop the infection,” Dr Sujeet K Singh, director of the National Centre for Disease Control said.

Newspapers are vital in spreading correct information, starting with this graphic below.