[rich_sasha]

Don't know about other places, but in places I have worked that required sick note on day 1, you could get one via a phone/video doctor's appointment.

You could argue that this is accountability theatre, though frankly for something like a cold - what will a doctor see face to face that they won't on the phone?

It's still a positive amount of faff but pretty tiny.

[eska]

If I was going to pretend I’m sick I’d just say I have diarrhea. There’s no way for the doctor to check it. So yea this is theater.