How to use this tool
Check the emergency signs first. If any apply, stop and call 112 or your local emergency number.
Answer the questions about fever, cough, vomiting or diarrhoea, pain, rashes and how you are coping.
Pick the type of work you do. Food, healthcare, childcare and driving jobs have extra rules.
Read your result, the reasons behind it, and when you can usually go back.
Tell your employer before your shift, and check whether you need a sick note.
Should I go to work if I feel ill?
Not if you have a high temperature, a stomach bug in the last two days, or a contagious rash. Not if you feel too unwell to do your normal activities either. Otherwise, a mild cold is often fine to work through with care.
NHS guidance on respiratory infections uses a simple test. Stay home and avoid others if you have a high temperature, or if you do not feel well enough to go to work or do your normal activities. You can go back when you feel better or no longer have a high temperature.
That test works for most illnesses, not only chest infections. If you cannot concentrate, cannot get through the commute, or need to lie down, your body is telling you something.
Going in sick also affects other people. Many infections spread fastest in the first days. NHS flu guidance says you are more likely to pass flu on in the first 5 days after getting infected.
This quiz does not tell you what illness you have. It only looks at your symptoms and your job, and applies published public health advice to them.
How does the quiz decide your result?
Each answer can push your result up a level, from “go with care” to “work from home” to “stay home”. The most serious answer wins. No answer can bring the result back down.
| What you tell us | Usual result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature of 38C or above | Stay home | NHS advice is to stay home until the high temperature has gone |
| Vomiting or diarrhoea now or in the last 48 hours | Stay home | NHS advice is to stay off until 2 days after it stops |
| Contagious rash still in its spreading stage | Stay home | NHS pages give a set time to stay away for each one |
| Not well enough for normal activities | Stay home | Matches the NHS stay home test |
| Severe pain that stops normal activities | Stay home | You cannot work safely or well |
| Feeling hot, cold or shivery without a measured fever | Work from home if allowed | You may be coming down with something |
| Cough and feeling unwell | Work from home if allowed | Avoid passing it on while you recover |
| Struggling to cope mentally | Work from home if allowed, and see a doctor | NHS advice is to see a GP if you are struggling |
| Mild cold, feel fine | Go to work with care | No published reason to stay off |
Your job type then adjusts the result. A food handler, nurse or nursery worker usually cannot work from home. So a “work from home” result for them becomes “stay home” when home working is not possible.
How long should you stay off work after diarrhoea and vomiting?
Stay off until you have had no vomiting or diarrhoea for 48 hours. This is the most common rule people get wrong, because they feel better before they stop being infectious.
The NHS says to stay off school or work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days. Its norovirus page gives the same 2 day rule. The Irish Health Service Executive says to stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after symptoms have passed. It also advises not to visit anyone in hospital during that time.
The clock starts from your last episode, not from when you first felt ill. If you were sick at 11pm on Monday, you can usually go back on Thursday morning.
A few habits help stop it spreading at home:
- Wash your hands with soap and water. NHS guidance says alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus.
- Do not prepare food for other people if you can avoid it.
- Clean toilet seats, flush handles, taps and door handles every day.
- Wash soiled bedding and clothes separately on a hot wash.
- Do not use a swimming pool until at least 48 hours after symptoms stop.
The NHS says vomiting usually stops in 1 or 2 days and diarrhoea within 5 to 7 days. If you cannot keep fluids down, see blood in your diarrhoea, or symptoms go on longer than that, get urgent medical advice the same day.
Can I go to work with a fever, cough or cold?
With a fever, no. With a mild cold and no fever, usually yes, with care. A cough that leaves you feeling unwell is a reason to work from home or rest.
The NHS says a high temperature is usually 38C or above. Its advice is to rest, drink plenty of fluids and try to stay home until you no longer have a high temperature.
If you do not own a thermometer, feeling hot to the touch, cold or shivery counts as a warning sign too. The quiz treats that as “work from home if allowed”, or “stay home” in jobs with vulnerable people.
A cough on its own is different. The NHS says a cough usually clears up within 3 to 4 weeks. A cough that lingers after a cold is common and is not always a reason to stay off. See a doctor if it lasts more than 3 weeks.
Get an urgent appointment, or call your local urgent health line, if:
- your temperature lasts 5 days or more, or will not come down with paracetamol
- you feel short of breath
- you feel very unwell, or your symptoms are getting worse
- your flu symptoms do not improve after 7 days
Which rashes and infections mean staying away from work?
Several common infections have a set time to stay away. The table shows what NHS pages say for adults and children alike. Each rule is about how long the infection can spread, not about how ill you feel.
| Infection you have been told you have | Stay away until | Also |
|---|---|---|
| Chickenpox | All the spots have formed a scab | Avoid newborn babies, anyone pregnant and people with a weak immune system |
| Measles | At least 4 days from when the rash first appeared | Call your doctor's surgery before going in |
| Impetigo | 48 hours after starting prescribed treatment | Untreated, it can stay contagious for 7 to 21 days |
| Scarlet fever | 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotics | Untreated, it can spread for 2 to 3 weeks |
| Vomiting and diarrhoea | 2 days after the last episode | Wash hands with soap, not gel |
| Shingles (childcare and school settings) | Spots are covered or have scabbed | UK guidance for childcare settings |
The quiz never tells you which rash you have. You choose from the list only if a doctor or pharmacist has already named it.
If you have a rash you are not sure about, the result is at least “work from home if allowed”. You will also be told to contact a doctor. A rash that does not fade when you press a glass on it is an emergency sign.
For a fuller look at how long each infection spreads, use our contagious period calculator.
What changes if you handle food, work in healthcare or look after children?
These jobs bring you close to food or to people who catch infections easily. The rules are stricter, and some are legal duties.
| Job type | What changes in the quiz | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Food handling | Report vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, nausea, fever, jaundice and infected skin to your manager. Stay away from open food, normally for 48 hours from when symptoms stop. Report it if someone you live with has vomiting or diarrhoea. | UK Food Standards Agency fitness to work guidance |
| Healthcare | A cough with feeling unwell, or feeling hot and shivery, gives "stay home" instead of "work from home". Contagious answers add a reminder to avoid vulnerable people. | Quiz design, based on NHS advice to avoid people at higher risk |
| Childcare | The childcare exclusion periods apply, including shingles. Feeling unwell with a cough or shivers gives "stay home". | UK Health Security Agency guidance for children's settings |
| Driving or machinery | Drowsy medicine adds a do not drive warning. | UK drugs and driving law |
| Desk or remote | Contagious but well enough? Work from home if you feel able. | Quiz design |
Food handlers have the clearest rules. The Food Standards Agency says staff who handle food must report illness or symptoms straight away. Managers must exclude staff with diarrhoea or vomiting from working with or around open food.
Anyone with infected wounds, skin infections or sores must not handle food when there is any chance of contaminating it. Staff may need to stay off for longer with more serious infectious diseases.
In healthcare, your employer’s occupational health team will have its own rules. Follow them if they are stricter than the quiz. Tell your manager or occupational health before your shift, not when you arrive.
In childcare, UK guidance lists conditions that need no time away. These are hand, foot and mouth disease, conjunctivitis, glandular fever and head lice. The quiz does not send you home for these alone.
Can I drive or use machinery when I am ill?
Not if your illness or your medicine slows you down. Driving while impaired by any drug, including a legal medicine, is against the law in Great Britain.
UK government guidance says it is illegal to drive with legal drugs in your body if they impair your driving. If you are not sure whether a medicine affects you, it advises talking to your doctor, pharmacist or another healthcare professional.
A drug driving conviction in Great Britain can bring at least a 1 year driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to 6 months in prison and a criminal record. Other European countries have their own laws, so check yours.
The same thinking applies to forklifts, power tools and other machinery. A fever, severe pain or a sleepless night can slow your reactions as much as a pill can.
If you drive for a living and answer “yes” or “not sure” to the medicine question, the quiz tells you not to drive until a doctor or pharmacist says it is safe. For licence rules on longer term conditions, see our driving licence medical requirements guide.
Is mental exhaustion a reason to stay home?
It can be. If you are struggling to cope and the things you try are not helping, NHS guidance says to see a GP. That is a health problem, not a lack of effort.
The NHS lists many signs of stress. They include headaches or dizziness, a faster heartbeat, difficulty concentrating, feeling overwhelmed, being irritable and drinking or smoking more. It names pressure at work as one possible cause.
The quiz gives “work from home if allowed” when you say you are struggling to cope. If you also say you cannot do your normal activities, the result becomes “stay home”. In both cases it suggests booking a doctor’s appointment.
The quiz does not label you with burnout, depression or any other condition. Only a doctor can assess that.
If you feel you may be about to harm yourself, this is an emergency. NHS advice is to call 999 for an ambulance or go straight to A&E. Elsewhere in Europe, call 112. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans answer on 116 123 at any time.
Should I work from home when I am sick?
Only if you feel well enough and your employer allows it. Working from home keeps germs away from coworkers, but it is not a substitute for rest when you are properly ill.
The quiz suggests working from home when you are mildly unwell but may still spread something. Examples are a cough that makes you feel run down, a rash you are not sure about, or moderate pain.
If your job cannot be done from home, that result becomes “stay home”. If you are already a remote worker, the result reads “work from home if you feel able, and rest if you do not”.
Check your contract or staff handbook before you log on. Some employers treat a day of home working while ill as a sick day, and others do not. Our sick leave rules by country page covers national rules on sick leave and notice.
Worked example: a stomach bug and a kitchen job
This example uses hypothetical answers and real published rules.
Marco is a line cook. He vomited twice on Sunday night, the last time at 2am on Monday. By Monday afternoon he feels fine. His partner now has diarrhoea too. His shift starts on Tuesday at 4pm.
His answers:
- Red flags: none of these
- Fever: no
- Cough: no
- Vomiting or diarrhoea: now or in the last 48 hours
- Pain: none
- Rash: no rash
- Exhaustion: no
- Drowsy medicine: no
- Normal activities: yes
- Job type: food handling
- Someone at home with vomiting or diarrhoea: yes
His result is “Stay home today”. The reasons shown are:
- His last vomit was at 2am on Monday. NHS advice is to stay off until 48 hours have passed, which is 2am on Wednesday.
- As a food handler, he must report his symptoms to his manager. He must stay away from open food, normally for 48 hours from when symptoms stop.
- He must also report that someone at home has diarrhoea. His manager will decide when he can return to food work.
Compare Sara, who works at a desk. She has a mild cold, no fever, and feels fine. Her result is “Go to work with care”, with a reminder to wash her hands and stay home if a fever starts.
When to see a doctor straight away
Some symptoms need emergency help, not a decision about work.
Call 112, the free emergency number across the EU, or your local emergency number, if you have:
- chest pain that feels tight, crushing or like squeezing
- breathlessness so bad you cannot say short sentences at rest
- a drooping face, weakness in one arm, or slurred speech
- coughing up blood, or vomit with blood or that looks like ground coffee
- confusion, or not responding as usual
- blue, pale or blotchy skin
- a rash that does not fade when you press a glass on it
- fainting, collapsing or a first seizure
- thoughts that you may harm yourself
Do not drive yourself to hospital. Ask someone to take you, or call for an ambulance. If any of these signs are ticked, the quiz stops and shows this advice only.
Do you need a sick note if you stay home?
It depends on your country, your employer and how many days you are off. Many employers accept a few days of self reporting, then ask for a doctor's note.
Our do I need a sick note checker asks where you work and how long you expect to be off. It then tells you whether a note is usually needed. To tell your employer you are off, our sick leave letter generator gives you a clear message to send. To see what you may be paid, try the sick pay calculator.
How getmedicalcertificate.com can help
If you are staying home and your employer wants proof, you can request a sick leave certificate online.
A doctor reviews your case first, and you pay only after that review. The price is EUR 34.99 per certificate, with no added fees at checkout. If the doctor cannot issue a certificate, you get a full refund.
Approved certificates arrive as a signed PDF, usually within about 30 minutes of the doctor’s approval. Each one carries a reference code that anyone can check. We cover 42 countries in Europe, and certificates are issued in English.
A doctor always decides. We cannot promise a certificate will be issued, accepted by your employer, or dated earlier than your consultation.
Check if you need a sick note, then request a sick leave certificate if you do.
Frequently asked questions
You are usually too sick to work if you have a temperature of 38C or above, have vomited or had diarrhoea in the last 48 hours, or have a contagious rash. NHS guidance also says to stay home if you do not feel well enough for work or normal activities. A mild cold with no fever is often fine with care.
NHS guidance says to stay off work until you have had no vomiting or diarrhoea for at least 2 days. Count from your last episode, not from when you started to feel better. The Irish Health Service Executive gives the same 48 hour advice and says to avoid visiting anyone in hospital during that time.
No. UK Food Standards Agency guidance says food handlers must report diarrhoea or vomiting to their manager straight away. They must stay away from open food, normally for 48 hours after symptoms stop naturally. Managers must exclude them. Food handlers must also report it if someone they live with has diarrhoea or vomiting.
No. The NHS says a high temperature is usually 38C or above. Its advice is to rest, drink fluids and stay at home, avoiding contact with others, until you no longer have a high temperature. Get an urgent appointment if it lasts 5 days or more, or will not come down with paracetamol.
A mild cough with no fever is often fine if you feel well. If the cough comes with feeling unwell, stay home or work from home if you can. NHS guidance says a cough usually clears in 3 to 4 weeks. See a doctor if it lasts longer than 3 weeks or you feel short of breath.
Not until every spot has formed a scab, according to NHS guidance. Chickenpox can spread from 2 days before the spots appear. While infectious, avoid newborn babies, anyone who is pregnant and people with a weakened immune system. Get urgent advice if you feel more short of breath than usual.
It can be. NHS guidance says to see a GP if you are struggling to cope with stress, or if the things you try are not helping. A doctor can assess you and decide whether time off would help. If you feel you might harm yourself, call 112 or your local emergency number now.
Only if the medicine does not affect your driving. UK government guidance says it is illegal to drive if legal drugs impair your driving. If you are not sure whether a medicine makes you drowsy or slow, ask your doctor or pharmacist before you drive or use machinery.
Only if you feel well enough and your employer allows it. Working from home can stop you spreading an infection to coworkers. It is not a replacement for rest when you have a high temperature or feel very unwell. Check whether your employer counts a sick day spent working from home as sick leave.
No. The quiz does not diagnose anything. It looks at your symptoms and your job and applies published public health advice, mainly from the NHS and UK food safety guidance. If you are unsure what is wrong, or your symptoms are getting worse, contact a doctor or your local urgent health line.
Have a question we did not answer? Ask the assistant.