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'I want to be in the system': Patients with Covid-19 mild symptoms bog down GPs, polyclinics after self-test

'I want to be in the system': Patients with Covid-19 mild symptoms bog down GPs, polyclinics after self-test

For many people who have self-tested positive for Covid-19 in the past few weeks, it is not clear whether they should see a doctor.

Speaking to TODAY, some GPs said that there have been many patients who have been choking up the queues at GP clinics, regardless of their symptoms, because they want to be recognised officially as Covid-19 positive.

This is because recovered Covid-19 patients will be able to delay their booster shots, be exempt from certain vaccine-related policies and infection controls, or be subject to fewer travel restrictions.

The GPs also said that they have received a greater number of enquiries in recent weeks from people who have tested positive via a self-administered antigen test and did not know whether they should go to the clinic or stay home.

The GPs suggested ways in which the authorities could help take some of the load off primary care doctors further, such as by easing the administrative demand needed to register someone as a Covid-19 case.

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