From Friday, pharmacists can issue a certificate for a positive rapid Covid-19 test, which can be used as a "sick note" for school children. Whether such a certificate can also be used for absence from work is still being discussed.
More than 2,500 pharmacists across Belgium have been able to administer rapid antigen tests (RAT) since last summer, but they can now also issue certificates of absence for children from 6 years old. Before, only GPs could do this.
"Not all regions require a certificate from the pharmacist for the absence of a child with Covid from school," said the Federal Public Service (FPS) for Health in a press release on Friday. "In Flanders, for example, the normal rules for absence due to illness apply: a school can accept the result of the positive Covid-19 test or a note from the child's parent(s) in addition to a certificate of absence from a GP."
To have a (free) rapid test taken by a pharmacist if you have symptoms, it is recommended to first use the self-assessment tool, which will create a test code that people can then use to make an appointment at a pharmacy near them.
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Whether these pharmacy certificates will also be valid for an absence from work is still being discussed with the unions and employers' organisations, but an individual employer is of course free to accept such a certificate.
People who test positive for Covid-19 still have to go into isolation for at least seven days from the day the symptoms started. When the week is up, people are urged to remain careful for an additional three days and limit their contacts to those strictly necessary.
"This adaptation of the testing strategy puts more emphasis on individual responsibility to stop the spread of the virus and not overburden the healthcare system," the health authorities said, underlining the importance of getting the autumn Covid-19 booster dose (particularly for over-50s or those with a weakened immunity), ventilation, the basic hygiene measures and adapting your behaviour if needed.
Importantly, people who require proof of a negative test, such as for travel, should still download and present the European Covid-19 test certificate. The pharmacist's certificate is not sufficient in this case.
