Too many Omikron cases: phone sick leave should be extended
Created: 01/18/2022, 12:25 p.m
By: Andrea Stettner
Because the omicron virus variant is spreading at breakneck speed, the health ministers of the federal states want to extend sick leave by telephone.
Sick leave over the phone has already done doctors and patients a good service during the corona pandemic.
Anyone who complains of
cold symptoms
does not necessarily have to appear in practice in order to receive a certificate of incapacity for work (AU)*.
A phone call to the doctor is sufficient.
This is made possible by a special corona regulation that has been extended several times by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) since 2020.
Also read:
What workers in 2022 need to consider when reporting sick.
Sick leave by telephone is to be extended in order to protect medical practices from a flood of patients.
© Daniel Reinhardt/dpa
Omikron-Welle: Health ministers want to relieve medical practices with sick leave by telephone
If the health ministers of the federal states have their way, the regulation should continue to be maintained. During a video switch on Monday evening
(January 17, 2022)
, the heads of department asked the Federal Ministry of Health to extend the regulations on telephone sick leave for respiratory diseases. In view of the rapid spread of the
omicron variant
, doctors need this support
"so that they are not overrun by patients"
, said Saxony-Anhalt's Health Minister Petra Grimm-Benne of the German Press Agency (dpa). The number of corona infections is currently expected to double every six and a half days.
In addition, it should continue to be possible for
medical and psychotherapeutic consultations to take place digitally
.
There should also be a rescue package for practices if they have a high staff shortage or if acute treatments do not have to be postponed, the dpa report continues.
Telephone sick leave is still possible until March 31, 2022
It is currently still possible to apply for sick leave by telephone
until March 31, 2022
.
You can read more about the symptoms and the symptoms you can call sick leave here.
(as) *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.