MOSCOW: Russian doctors are to receive a bonus again next year in recognition of their service during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from the Kremlin on Monday.
It said the bonuses had been ordered by President Vladimir Putin but gave no details on how much medical staff would get.
The bonus for doctors and nurses on duty during the New Year holiday period is set to be doubled.
Previously, bonus sums of about $51 per shift had been paid out to hospital doctors and $34 to nursing staff. But according to the radio station Ekho Moskvy, there were many complaints earlier in the year that bonuses had not been paid.
The spread of coronavirus continues to put Russia under pressure, although the daily case numbers have dropped in recent months.
On Monday, authorities reported 23,210 new cases nationwide and 937 Covid-19 deaths. However, many cases are thought to go unreported.
Just under half of Russia's population of about 146 million has been double-vaccinated, according to official statistics.
"The vaccination rate is not high enough," Putin admitted last week. However, he opposes making the jabs mandatory for all. -- dpa
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