Spanish government considers offering automatic sick leave to ease pressure on health centers

The Spanish Ministry of Health is considering implementing a system of automatic sick leaves of three days to reduce the pressure on primary health centers due to the uptick in respiratory viruses in recent weeks.

In an interview with Spanish media on Monday, Health Minister Mónica García said that automatic sick leaves could be given to workers for “milder” illnesses through a “declaration of responsibility” when the worker starts showing symptoms.

This would avoid the “bureaucratization and collapse” of primary health centers and would be an effective “measure” that has already been implemented in other countries, García added.

Under the current system, workers must physically show up at primary health centers and be examined by a doctor to receive sick leaves from work.

The last time a system of automatic sick leave was in place was during the state of alarm during the COVID-19 pandemic.

10,000 visits expected on Tuesday  

The Catalan Ministry of Health expects 10,000 patients to visit the emergency rooms of hospitals and primary health centers (CAP) on Tuesday, as the epidemic of respiratory viruses reaches its peak in the coming weeks.

Catalan Health Minister Manel Balcells stressed in an interview with Catalan media on Monday, that there are no “collapsed” CAPs in Catalonia and that the limit for visits has been around 11,000 at other times.

Nevertheless, Balcells recommended getting vaccinated and wearing a mask to protect the most vulnerable. The mandatory use of masks in hospitals has already been reinstated.