The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has issued guidelines regarding sick leaves to all employees during the isolation and quarantine period associated with COVID-19, to be implemented from April 21, 2021.

The MoPH clarified that the employee, who tests positive with COVID-19 and the result of the Coronavirus examination (PCR) test shows that the employee has an active (infectious) infection, must be placed under appropriate isolation for a period of 14 days.

If the test result shows that the employee has an infection that is non-infectious, then the employee must be placed under appropriate isolation for a period of 7 days. Health status will turn red on the "Ehteraz" app during that time, indicating that the period of isolation is considered "sick leave".

In case if the individual is required to enter the hospital, the isolation period will be extended for more than 14 days. The entire period will be considered as sick leave until recovery.

The MoPH also clarified the classifications for an employee who has been in close contact with a person with COVID-19 disease.

For fully vaccinated employees:

If the employee has been fully vaccinated, or have contracted the COVID-19 virus during the past six months, and meets MoPH's definition of close contact, he will be exempt from quarantine, provided that the result of the Coronavirus (PCR) test is negative after contact with the infected person, and that he shall self-quarantine for a day until the test result appears.

However, he shall continue to monitor himself for any symptoms similar to COVID-19 during the next 14 days.

Employees who are not vaccinated:

As for the employees, who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and have not had the disease before, who are in close contact with a person with an active (infectious) COVID-19 infection, and who meets MoPH's definition of close contact, they must be subject to appropriate quarantine for a period of 14 days.

The employees, who have contact with a person with a reactive (non-infectious) COVID-19 infection, will be subject to quarantine for a period of seven days, and the health status on the Ehteraz app will turn yellow for the duration of the quarantine.

The employees who are in the quarantine period must monitor themselves for any symptoms of COVID-19 disease.

At the end of the quarantine period and after proving no infection with COVID-19 disease through a Coronavirus examination (PCR), the employee can return to work if the status of the Ehteraz app changes to green again.

The MoPH stated that this period is called "the quarantine period" and is not considered sick leave, but rather work from home.

The MoPH urges all employees to adhere to preventive measures in the workplace, and employers must ensure a safe work environment with adequate work space and good ventilation for their employees in accordance with the guidelines.

Employers must ensure that their employees adhere to preventive measures and obligate any employee who shows signs or symptoms of infection with COVID-19 to undergo a virus examination and self-isolate until the results of the examination appear.

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Source: QNA