It sounds absurd: in the middle of a pandemic, fewer employees are absent from work sick than in previous years. There are many reasons for this – and there is cause for concern. News ticker.
- Corona relaxation in sight? Six German federal states have a seven-day incidence of less than 100.
- Meanwhile, fewer and fewer people are reporting sick. Experts also see problems in this.
- This news ticker on the corona situation in Germany is continuously updated.
Berlin – will fewer people get sick during the corona pandemic? The Techniker Krankenkasse reported lost working hours of 3.8 percent for the first quarter. That is the lowest level in 13 years. Colds in particular have fallen sharply. Failures due to Covid 19 diseases, on the other hand, hardly played a role.
Corona in Germany: sick leave falls to a record low
TK recorded a total of 1.08 million sick leave in the first quarter, of which 9381 were due to Covid-19 *. The AOK also reported a decrease (5.1 percent compared to 6.6). At Barmer Krankenkasse, 18 percent of those insured between 15 and 64 were on sick leave for at least one day in the first quarter – in the same quarter of the previous year the proportion was 30 percent .
Experts attribute the decline in particular to the more meticulous observation of hygiene rules *. “It shows that the distance and hygiene rules as well as the limited contact options also prevent the spread of other infectious agents,” said TK boss Jens Baas. The flu epidemic failed to materialize. Most recently, sales of over-the-counter cold medicines had also collapsed. The pharmacists’ association ABDA had also attributed this to the corona measures.
Corona: “Fewer sick notifications do not automatically mean that fewer employees were actually sick”
According to observers, the lack of mobility is also decisive. The simple calculation: the less you come into contact with people, the less you meet sick people. Fear of a (corona) infection also plays a role in the low level of illness, which is why many employees would forego a doctor’s visit.
How are the numbers to be interpreted? The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) sees a crucial problem. “Fewer sick days do not automatically mean that fewer employees were actually sick,” said board member Anja Piel. Even before the pandemic *, the majority of employees went to work even though they felt sick. Those who no longer have to commute to work are more likely to feel obliged to work in the home office despite a slight illness. In the long term, this increases the risk of chronic diseases.
Corona in Germany: 6922 new infections, R value below 1, incidence at 119
While the number of sick notes is apparently falling, the corona situation in Germany remains largely stable. On Monday (May 10), the Robert Koch Institute * reported 6922 new corona infections, around 2100 fewer than seven days ago. However, the number of infections on Mondays is not entirely representative, as some health authorities do not report any numbers on weekends.
The number of reproductions * is given by the RKI as 0.88 (previous day: 0.90), the seven-day incidence * is 119 cases per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. Six federal states are currently ranked below the 100 limit targeted for easing. Schleswig-Holstein (51), Hamburg (75), Lower Saxony (85) Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (87), Brandenburg (88) and Bremen (99). In this news ticker on the corona situation in Germany, we will keep you up to date with all the information. (as / dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
