In view of the more relaxed corona situation, sick leave due to cold symptoms is no longer generally possible by telephone for the time being. To do this, patients have to go back to doctor’s offices or use video consultations from this Wednesday. The joint federal committee of doctors, clinics and health insurance companies had decided to let a special regulation that had previously been extended several times expire.
At the same time, the committee emphasized that such special regulations could be reactivated for certain regions or nationwide if the pandemic picked up speed again in the coming months.
misunderstanding of the regulation
Since the end of March 2020, it has been possible to write sick notes by phone almost continuously. This should reduce unnecessary contacts to lower the risk of infection.
The chairman of the German General Practitioners Association, Ulrich Weigeldt, expressed incomprehension that the regulation would be abolished again “without necessity”. “The telephone certificate of incapacity for work has proven its worth,” Weigeldt told the editorial network Germany. It brings “real relief” to family doctor practices. Weigeldt spoke out in favor of continuing to make sick leave by telephone possible, at least for existing patients.