[Care Worker/Facility Staff Influenza Attendance Standards] Manual | Full Rules for Up to 10 Days Work Suspension and Mandatory “Negative Certificate”

Care facilities represent the environment with the highest risk of severe illness for elderly residents. Consequently, the work suspension rules for influenza applied to care workers and facility staff are among the strictest standards in Japancompared to general office workers.

In 2025, based on a notice from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly, the rules in the care industry have been significantly tightened. The work suspension period has been extended to “5 days post-onset AND 3 days post-fever resolution (minimum 8-10 days),” and furthermore, a “Negative Certificate” upon returning to work has become mandatory at 90% of facilities.

Influenza “Care Worker/Facility Staff” Attendance Standards 2025 Complete Summary

Care workers are subject to the strictest work suspension rules in Japan because “elderly care facilities = highest risk of severe illness” (based on MHLW notice, Infectious Disease Control Law, and facility standards).

🏡 2025 Excerpt of “Care Facility Type” Work Suspension Rules

⚠️ 2025 Rules Care Workers Must Absolutely Remember

✅ Summary

If a care worker contracts the flu, it means “a minimum of 8–10 days off + mandatory Negative Certificate.” → This has become the profession with the strictest rules and the most protected salary in Japan! Therefore,

Vaccination is the highest priority for care workers.

To prevent facility closures → resident deaths → liability issues due to an in-facility cluster, the number of facilities mandating full-cost vaccination is rapidly increasing.

At-Home Testing Kit Ranking (Combined COVID-19 and Influenza)

Here is the English translation of the ranking table for at-home diagnostic kits that test for both COVID-19 and Influenza A/B: