In the pre-coronavirus world, if someone turned up to work with the flu, everyone would look at them approvingly and marvel at their dedication.
Boss: Look at Suzie. She’s down with the flu but she still came to work because she cares!
Things are a little different during the COVID-19 pandemic, however.
If you’ve contracted COVID-19, no one, including your overly-demanding boss, wants you to come to the office.
And according to a recent advisory, even if you’re feeling well, you should still stay at home.
Employees Who Tested COVID-19 Positive Should WFH or Stay Home Even Though They are ‘Fine’
Tested positive for COVID-19 but thinking of returning to the office because you feel fine and dandy? Don’t.
According to a recent advisory, employees who test positive on an antigen rapid test (ART) must self-isolate and work from home even if they are physically well.
They should isolate for 72 hours, and then take another ART. If this is negative, they can return to the office.
But if it comes back positive, they should keep self-isolating and take an ART every 24 hours until they test negative.
Reader: But what if my job requires me to be in the office? That’s where I do most of my nappin- I mean work.
I’m glad you asked, dear reader.
In that instance, employers must treat the period of absence as paid sick leave.
The advisory was issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) yesterday (25 Sep).
Asymptomatic Cases Who Test Positive At Home Advised Not to Go to a Clinic
In their advisory, the tripartite partners said there’s no need for those who test positive on an ART at home to get a PCR test at a clinic if they have no symptoms.
This is because they may put themselves at risk of other infections at these healthcare facilities. Instead, they should self-isolate and continue to monitor their health.
“This is a risk-calibrated approach that will allow Singapore to focus the use of primary care and other healthcare resources on COVID-19 patients at higher risk of falling severely ill,” they said.
Welcome to the new normal, when contracting COVID-19 is akin to contracting chickenpox.
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- 1,443 COVID-19 Cases Reported on 25 Sept; 3 COVID-19 Deaths Reported
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Featured Image: Hugo Goudswaard / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)