The Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN) had requested of the government with a letter issued on September 27 for professional news media to be excluded from the Stay-At-Home order as the public facing fake news and misinformation as the COVID-19 resurgence and election period coincides.

MJN appealed that the public needs timely access to valuable knowledge regarding COVID-19 as well as the election and also to prevent confusion, reduce worries by preventing purposeful misinformation. Thus, professional news medias must be allowed to operate as an exception under the Stay-at-home program.

The MJN also stated that the order released on September 20 for the Stay-at-home program restricted the media industry such as the private media houses, online media and broadcast media. The following order released afterwards, aimed at excluding more industries from the Stay-at-home program only included air transportation, cargo transportation and tax agencies but failed to include the media industry. The MJN stressed that it is an extremely crucial period as the 2020 General Election is happening parallel to the efforts undertaken to prevent and control COVID-19.

The MJN stated that "We believe that news and information brought by the profesisonal news media is required when the public is facing manipulated and fake news."

It was also stated in the letter that despite banking & financial services, fuel stations and distribution, foodstuff & Frozen Poultry and Fish, Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Equipment Manufacturing and Distribution having been included in the list to remain operational across 11 Townships, the private media were left out. 

The MJN said that the news media are a service that bring facts and information to the public, encouraging the Myanmar Press Council to be act as an intermediary to resolve this issue with the media and those responsible from the government.