Karnataka govt extends services of retiring health care personnel by a month

Bengaluru: Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the Karnataka government on Saturday decided to extend the services of health care personnel, who are retiring on May 31, for a month till June 30 to assist in containing the coronavirus spread in the state.

A notification to this effect was passed by the Additional Chief Secretary, (Health and Family Welfare Department) Jawaid Akhtar on Saturday, according to a government bulletin.

Similarly, the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Services has issued an order regarding testing of passengers, who are coming by flights and trains from high-risk states, at their own cost by private labs for COVID-19.

“The sample will be tested by the pooling method (5 samples in one pool as per ICMR guidelines).

Each traveler will be charged a fee of Rs 650 per test by the private lab irrespective of test result being positive or negative,” the order read.