With pressure increasing on primary care providers due to winter illnesses, the Ministry of Health is reminding employers they can opt to use Ministry text messages as proof of positive COVID-19 cases within their workforce.
The Ministry said texts from 2328 or 2648 are sent to a COVID-19 positive person and any household contacts they identify.
The first text confirms their COVID-19 positive test and the need to isolate, and the second confirms they can leave isolation and return to work if they feel well. Household contacts receive a text saying they are free to leave isolation if their day 7 RAT test is negative.Â
Employers needing proof of staff taking time off work due to COVID-19 illness, or being the household contact, can use these text messages as reliable evidence rather than asking for a traditional GP ‘medical certificate’, which creates additional work for general practice at a particularly busy time of year, the Ministry said today.
For more information, see COVID-19: Isolating from others.
