Russia has called on pension-age doctors who quit during the pandemic for safety reasons to return to their jobs as the authorities report a record one-day tally of Covid-19 cases as well as a record number of deaths, reports Reuters.

The Kremlin has blamed the rising toll on Russia's slow vaccination campaign and has appealed to people to get the shot. Take-up has been slow, with many Russians citing distrust of the authorities and fear of new medical products.

“In a situation where infections are growing, it is necessary to continue to explain to people that they must get vaccinated,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.“It is really irresponsible not to get vaccinated. It kills,” he said.