Bosses told to back off on tests

DOCTORS are warning employers seeking unnecessary medical certificates from workers amid coronavirus fears that finite resources must be reserved for those who meet testing criteria.

It’s understood some local businesses have asked employees who do not meet testing criteria for clearances from doctors to return to work.

The local Primary Health Network said some people had been behaving in a “very unreasonable and demanding manner” amid the pandemic.

Geelong GP and Western Victoria PHN clinical spokeswoman Anne Stephenson said testing was a vexed issue and community concern was understandable.

“However, GPs have to operate within strict criteria from the Department of Health and Human Services which stipulates who is able to be tested,” Dr Stephenson said. “GPs cannot test people simply because a workplace requests it.”

New DHHS guidelines released at the weekend said people who meet at least one clinical and at least one epidemiological criteria should be tested.

Clinical criteria includes a fever or acute respiratory infection, like shortness of breath, a cough, or sore throat, while epidemiological criteria could include multiple factors including recent international travel and close contacted with a confirmed case, Dr Stephenson said.

People without symptoms should not be tested.

“Long delays are already being experienced to receive test results, and this is causing frustration for many people,” Dr Stephenson said.

“Some people have been behaving in a very unreasonable and demanding manner.”

Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ben Flynn said health system resources needed to be protected for people at risk.

“It would clog up the system if everyone’s asking for clearance,” he said. “Businesses are not going to be asking people to get tests, they’ll ask them to work from home.”