Coronavirus Labor market organizations and STM are preparing an amendment to the law that would secure a communicable disease allowance without quarantine or isolation

Labor market organizations and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM) have promptly prepared an amendment to the law to ensure access to infectious disease day benefits for workers with coronary heart disease or their employers.

The same would apply to exposed or asymptomatic individuals who are unable to go close or telecommuting.

It is tentatively envisaged that the daily allowance could henceforth also be available on the basis of an opinion from a non-municipal infectious disease doctor and without quarantine or isolation.

Need the change in the law has arisen because, for example municipalities of the metropolitan area have reported a significant reduction in tracing and testing and a move away from quarantine and isolation.

“After all, we were surprised by the separation of the municipalities in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area from the activities under the Communicable Diseases Act. STM considers it important that the Infectious Diseases Act is complied with, ”says the director Liisa Siika-aho From STM.

Whitefish aho points out that, according to the WHO, coronary heart disease is a universal disease that must be confirmed.

On Wednesday Representatives of the labor market organizations and the STM have already had a preliminary discussion on how to protect working life so that it does not find itself in an unreasonable position due to the lack of access to a communicable disease daily allowance.

“It is necessary to consider whether there are less lenient conditions for granting an infectious disease daily allowance than quarantine or isolation,” says Siika-aho.

Quarantine or isolation can only be prescribed by a municipal infectious disease physician, as this involves a significant exercise of public power.

Expert physiciani Auli Rytivaara The Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) suggests that all doctors should have the right to issue a statement or certificate on the basis of which an infectious disease daily allowance could be granted.

“In particular, the occupational health doctor is able to make a risk assessment of the employee and his or her duties, whether he or she should be absent from work due to exposure or symptoms, or whether he or she can work remotely, for example,” says Rytivaara.

According to Rytivaara, the most important thing now would be to get the matter forward quickly so that employers and employees would not be left without a communicable disease daily allowance. It does not have a deductible period unlike a regular sickness benefit.

Finland Expert Physician of SAK, the Confederation of Finnish Trade Unions Riitta Työläjärvi considers it equally important that the necessary social security be provided. “I am also hopeful that it will move forward quickly.”

“It is clear that there are such a limited number of infection doctors that their work is not enough now,” Työläjärvi agrees with Rytivaara’s proposal.

“It is not possible to raise our hands now and say that employees have to fall ill at their own expense,” Työläjärvi says.

Health and Director of Health Safety at the Department of Welfare (THL) Mika Salminen said Ylelle on Tuesday that Finland should abandon quarantine and large-scale tracing in the fight against the coronavirus.

Salminen suggested that the quarantines be replaced by longer absences with his own notice.

According to Siika-aho, sick leave with one’s own declaration is not the solution to the problem, because then you will not receive an infectious disease daily allowance, which completely compensates for the loss of earnings.

One option, according to Siika-aho, would be to amend the Health Insurance Act so that access to a communicable disease daily allowance would not require quarantine or isolation.

Read more: Helsinki will end most of the corona quarantine and infection tracing