this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2026
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I've never lived in the US.
Going to the doctor for the common cold is insane. Why waste doctors' time on something that'll pass on its own with a bit of rest and paracetamol? Utterly selfish.
Driving to a hospital if you're not badly injured is also perfectly normal. Once again, why would you call an ambulance that could be helping someone in dire need, if you don't need to?
Unless the injury is life threatening, drive yourself or have someone drive you. Not insane at all.
You go to the doctor when you have common cold to get your sick leave, so you don't go to work and spread it. In no way is it "insane"
There's a better way. Here in Finland it's pretty common that you can just call/text your boss that you have a common cold and you can be on a sick leave for few days (3 days is pretty common limit) just self-diagnosing it. With longer sickness you'll need a doctors note, but at least on my company with common cold and other minor stuff it's taken care of either over text chat or via a call with a doctor.
Obviously if the doctor thinks the whatever you have requires more in depth examination they can schedule a meeting, but for seasonal flu and stuff like that it's pretty rare you need to see a doctor in person at all. And of course they'll follow the numbers, so that if you call in sick every monday or whatever the rules are more strict and examinations are done more frequently, but for vast majority a few days laying in bed with a fever isn't any kind of issue.
In the Netherlands and Belgium employers sometimes offer what is called a "baaldag". Basically, if you're having an especially shit day, you can take the day off. No doctors note required.