All Group D employees in Karnataka's health and medical education departments will be paid a risk allowance of Rs. 10,000 per month for six months in addition to their salary for discharging COVID duties, a minister said on July 14.

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"Group D workers who are working in COVID hospitals will be given a risk allowance of Rs. 10,000 for the next six months along with their salary," said the Medical Education Minister. Similarly, all such workers working in COVID Care Centres (CCCs), swab collection centres and fever clinics will also be eligible for the allowance. Meanwhile, amid spiking infections everyday, the state health department has created a new duty roster for healthcare workers to ensure continuous availability of healthcare services in CCCs. Accordingly, all doctors, nursing staff, paramedics and other support staff working in CCCs will have 10-day duty at a stretch, followed by four holidays.

"The head of institution shall comply with the above guidelines and the duty roster shall be based on availability of manpower and services provided," said a health official. Likewise, to ensure their safety, all of them will also be made to undergo a rapid antigen test after their 10-day long duty. "At the end of 10 days' duty, the health care workers shall compulsorily undergo point of care rapid antigen test," the official said. On July 14, a record number of 87 COVID patients succumbed to the virus in Karnataka, while 2,496 new cases raised the state's tally to 44,077.