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 coul

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.