Government sticking head in sand about self-certification issues, too
Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both admitted today that they have made no plans to guarantee sick-pay for workers forced to stay at home and ‘self-isolate’ because of possible coronavirus infection.
Speaking this morning at a press conference about the spread of the disease, Johnson was asked what he will do to ensure that sick or potentially sick workers don’t suffer hardship.
His response amounted to “Nothing – but we’ll keep it under review”.
And in the Commons, Hancock’s answer was the same: it’s “under review”:
Hancock was also derided by MPs for suggesting that self-isolating patients don’t need to go to a GP for a sick-note – because they can ‘self certify’ for seven days.
The required period of self-isolation for suspected COVID-19 is fourteen days.
SKWAWKBOX view:
The Tories managed to show, in two very short answers, their utter contempt both for working people – especially the low-paid – and for the safety of the UK’s people.
If workers – especially the low-paid – are not guarenteed proper pay, they will be faced with a choice between financial hardship or risking spreading the disease.
And that puts all of us at risk.
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