SAFETY MEASURES FOR MEDIA COVERING THE COVID-19

Overview

1. The World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 a global pandemic and urged
governments around the world to act swiftly in putting in place prevention and
management measures.
2. In Kenya, the President, following detection of three positive cases announced measures
aimed at containing the situation and mitigating the effects, including imposing a curfew
between 7 pm and 5 am.
3. The Ministry of Health continues to issue factual and authoritative information on the same including contacts in case of
emergencies. It gives regular updates and briefings on the same (0800721316-toll free/0729471414/0732353535).
4. It’s a developing story that’s likely to be with us for the long haul, thus requiring media coverage for some time, therefore we must be prepared.

 

Factual Reporting 

1. Focus should be on the individual protection of those exposed, affected and infected. Societal safety and related
coping mechanisms and factual reporting of the science of the outbreak in a way that minimizes harm to the society.

2. Remember as journalists to:

• Seek and report the truth on the Corona virus outbreak
• Minimise harm to individuals, the society and the scientific community
• Be transparent and accountable to yourself, the community, Kenyans and the nation
• Be independent and professional in your reporting of the Coronavirus

Risk Analysis

1. Journalists and media practitioners assigned to cover the Coronavirus stories must do a risk analysis to ensure
not only their safety, but the safety of their families, colleagues and the community.
2. Do risk analysis to assess your safety, level of exposure (visiting health facilities, interviews with suspects or
those with high exposure to the virus) and discuss with your immediate supervisor.
3. No Forced assignments. Your life matters!

 

Live Interviews and Programmes

1. Minimise live interviews and those that require sharing of microphones. Limit yourselves to interviews done
via phone when possible.
Where face to face interviews must be done, keep at a distance of one to two meters between yourself
and the interviewee
Provide an extra microphone, which must be disinfected immediately after use.
2. Don’t place your equipment on the ground or on surfaces when in an infected zone or highly exposed
environments including isolated health facilities.
3. Equipment such as cameras, recorders and microphones which are widely shared amongst staff must
disinfected using fast acting microbial wipes, before and after every use and their operators required to
wear gloves.
4. Programmes that require studio audience presence should be stopped.
Where audience must appear, guests must be seated at least one meter from each other.
This protocol also applies to the distance between the anchor/host and the nearest guest.
Anchors/Radio hosts must wash their hands before and after their show and avoid touching their faces at
any time.

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