Cold symptoms: sick leave without visiting a doctor

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

More posts by Christiane Fux All content is checked by medical journalists.

Cough, runny nose, sore throat: Patients with mild upper respiratory tract diseases can, after consulting their doctor over the phone, get sick leave for up to seven days - without visiting a doctor.

This measure is intended to relieve doctors in the coronavirus crisis. Unlike usual, the patient is spared a visit to the doctor's office. And the environment is also protected from pathogens that the patient could spread.

This agreement is effective immediately and initially for four weeks. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the umbrella association of statutory health insurance agreed on this Monday in Berlin.

The regulation applies to patients who neither suffer from severe symptoms nor meet the official criteria for suspected infection with the new coronavirus. This includes contact with a (possibly) infected person or a recent trip to a risk area. Even if there is a suspicion of an infection with Sars-Cov-2, patients should not contact their doctor directly, but rather clarify how to proceed by telephone. (cf / dpa)

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