Authorities Confirm That a COVID-19 Recovery Memo from a Doctor is Not Required to Go Back to Work or School

By
Boon Hun
-
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Singaporeans are rational individuals who prefer to stay on the safe side of things.

So many of us, once we contracted COVID-19, would want a professional opinion before we return to our workplaces.

After all, given how hard the authorities are coming down on rulebreakers, regardless of whether they’re ignorant or not, it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

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Well, no. Not in this instance.

Authorities Confirm That a COVID-19 Recovery Memo from a Doctor is Not Required to Go Back to Work or School

General practitioners (GPs) in Singapore are reporting a surge in the number of patients coming to their clinics to get a memo before returning to work or school.

That is entirely unnecessary, the Ministry of Health, Manpower and Education, and Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said in a joint statement.

“(Recovered patients) do not need a letter or memo from doctors to certify they have recovered from Covid-19 to return to work or to school, including pre-school and institutes of higher learning.”

This is because such visits could affect the standard of care given to those who really need medical attention.

For individuals who contracted COVID-19 and only exhibits mild or no symptoms, you can self-isolate at home for 72 hours.

Once the period is over, take an antigen rapid test (ART), and if the result is negative and you’re feeling well, you can go back to work or school immediately.

This applies even for individuals issued with Stay-Home-Notices (SHN) or Health Risk Warnings (HRWs).

Guidelines For Employers

Employers should not ask for a memo from the doctor from employees, the authorities emphasise.

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If the employees reported testing positive for COVID-19 via ART, they should not return to the workplace.

If they can, they should be allowed to work from home; if not, employers should treat the period of absence as paid leave even without an MC.

Don’t Panic Over The 13K New Local COVID-19 Cases

In case you missed it, 4 Feb 2022 was a historic day.

For the first time ever, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported hit above 10,000, with new local cases standing at 13,046.

While admittedly a scary number, experts in Singapore are calling for people to remain calm.

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There is no further need for more restrictions, they say, and the spike in numbers could be due to the Chinese New Year period when clinics are closed and people find it inauspicious to go to the doctor.

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Boon Hun
Email: [email protected]
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