The company health insurance companies are reporting more sick leave than they have in more than ten years.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Respiratory diseases caused a record number of sick days in the first half of 2022. This comes from data from the umbrella organization of company health insurance companies (BKK). Accordingly, 5.7 percent of the employed members reported sick at least once during this period.
According to the evaluation, absenteeism has never been anywhere near as high since 2011. In recent years, the rate has been between four and five percent. The company health insurance funds together have around nine million members.
The reasons for the sick leave were not only corona infections, but also general respiratory diseases. These include influenza, acute infections and other lung diseases. These had fallen sharply during the pandemic.
In 2021, only 0.34 percent of the employed BKK members had submitted a sick note with these diagnoses. In the first half of 2022, on the other hand, it was 1.16 percent – and thus even more than in 2018, when the worst flu epidemic of the last decade had driven the value up. Only 0.25 percent of the insured employees reported sick because of a corona infection.
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The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has also recorded a sharp increase in respiratory diseases in recent months. In April and May, the “virological criteria of an influenza epidemic” were even met, according to the current RKI weekly report of the influenza working group.
RKI warns of influenza epidemic
According to the report, the institute currently assumes 3.9 million acute cases of respiratory diseases, to which corona infections also contribute. In view of the numbers, experts warn of a double wave that could put a strain on the health system, especially in autumn and winter.
In view of the high level of sick leave, the chairman of the BKK umbrella organization, Franz Knieps, demanded: “There will probably not be much time this year to take a deep breath for employees and companies, as the ‘summer break’ has made possible in recent years.”
It is therefore all the more important “that the necessary precautions for the coming autumn or winter are taken at the latest now in order to prevent a further increase in sick leave and thus personnel bottlenecks”. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced on Wednesday that the coalition would soon come to an agreement on a concept for corona protection regulations for the autumn.
He expects results “in a very short time,” said the SPD politician. Negotiations with Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) progressed very quickly. Lauterbach again rejected calls for an end to the obligation to isolate people infected with corona, as this would only accelerate the pandemic. There is currently “no reason to change the isolation rules”.
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