Omicron - DMOs should not provide information to the media!!!
The kozhikode DMO (DMO) had informed about the suspicion of Omicron at a press conference yesterday. The DMO's response that Omicron is suspected without confirmation caused confusion. Following this, the director of the health department issued a circular banning the media from responding. The circular says that DMOs should not give information to the media and respond without permission. There is a lot of news published in the media about the day-to-day activities of the health department and the major issues handled by the department. But such news is not authentic to the public. The publication of unauthorized news can lead to misconceptions about the functioning of the department and create unnecessary fear about the spread of the disease.
In a circular, Dr. V.R Raju, director, Department of health, said that such unauthorized news could smear the image of the department. The circular said that all the district medical officers and staff should be careful in disclosing information only after obtaining prior permission. The circular also directs that such activities should not be carried out without prior permission under any circumstances and should be disclosed only after obtaining the prior permission of the concerned department, ensuring the authenticity of public information on any critical or important matter. All the district Medical Officers and staff should be vigilant in this regard and ensure that all the officers under them follow the above instructions.
