KENYA: Media Council forms Emergency Response Team to Advice on Covid-19 Reporting

NAIROBI, MARCH 20, 2020 (CISA)-The Media Sector Emergency Response Team (MESERT) has called for the suspension of live coverage of Press conferences.

In its recommendations to the office of the Government Spokesperson on March 17, MESERT insisted on the need to comply with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Department of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) guidelines on containment of COVID-19.

“This is particularly critical in preventing the congregation of a large number of journalists and media practitioners in one location,” they said advising the government to provide live feeds to media houses for public communication announcements.

“The national government, provide the media with protective gear as they cover the spread of the virus on the ground and provide logistical and other support as necessary. The MESERT will avail the list of such media personnel to the national government and continually liaise with its appointed officers to ensure their safety,” it adds.

The government through the ministry of health to facilitate provision of official content on Covid-19 to media houses to enable them disseminate the same multiple formats and languages through vernacular, braille and sign language and to also counter misinformation.

The MESERT will be in place for thirty 30 days and is continually monitoring events and advising the Media Council of Kenya on Coronavirus.