F0 works online voluntarily, but can F1 go to work?

Many opinions from medical experts, businesses and workers surround this issue. What are the safety solutions if F1 goes to work directly?

Allowing people in the F0 and F1 categories to go to work is one of the proposals of the Ministry of Health in preparation for considering COVID-19 as an endemic disease. However, according to health experts, it is necessary to consider each locality and should not be applied widely.

F0 working online: based on volunteering

Many new proposals on working regulations for F0 and F1 people.

The Ministry of Health has just proposed that asymptomatic F0 people who are in quarantine and voluntarily return to work can do so online and can take care of COVID-19 patients at home or at treatment facilities.

At the same time, F1s are transferred to health monitoring for 10 days from the date of exposure (instead of 5 days of home isolation), participating in direct and online work. F1s who have been vaccinated or have not been vaccinated can participate in direct and online work; if working directly, the facilities using human resources must arrange a separate working area for F1s.

Many opinions say that F0 people should not be allowed to work because people with COVID-19 are still classified as infectious diseases, and they have the rights of patients.

Regarding the issue of whether F0 patients should work online at home, Associate Professor Tran Dac Phu - former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that if COVID-19 patients have no symptoms, they can voluntarily work online. However, it must be voluntary and during working hours, they must always monitor their health, if there is any abnormality, they must immediately report to the health agency or unit for timely handling.

"If you do not have symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat, you can stay home and work online, but you need to consider each case carefully. For example, if an infected teacher has symptoms of sore throat or pharyngitis, even if it is mild, they cannot be asked to continue teaching online.

"Units and businesses should prepare a replacement personnel scenario because the development of the disease when it enters the body is still very unpredictable. There should be mechanisms to encourage people working in key positions so as not to break the work chain," Mr. Phu shared.

Must pay attention to the rights of F0 still working

Dr. Vo Duc Chien, Director of Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital (HCMC), said that the main issue now is vaccination to ensure vaccine coverage. With the spread of the disease in the community, it is very difficult to avoid. If there is any prevention of infection, it should mainly focus on vulnerable groups to reduce human losses.

"The basic issue is vaccination, and working depends on the needs and desires of each individual and business. Currently, with the common flu, if the patient wants to take time off, they can take time off, they still receive sick leave, and the same goes for COVID-19," Mr. Chien shared.

At the same time, there are also concerns about the health progression of patients when infected. An infectious disease specialist has the opinion that COVID-19 is still a group A infectious disease, still has a certain level of danger.

For F0 patients, even if they have no symptoms, it cannot be denied that the virus is invading their bodies, and it cannot be confirmed whether it will progress to a more serious condition. Therefore, people with COVID-19 should rest for 2-3 days after exposure.

"According to the proposal for F0 people to work online, although the company allows employees to voluntarily register to work or rest, if they choose to rest, they will be concerned about the unit's assessment. Or there may be a situation where some units and businesses lack resources and they force F0 people to still work to meet human resource needs," this doctor shared.