According to an evaluation by the Barmer health insurance company, there were more respiratory infections in Bavaria at the start of the year than in previous years. On average, in the first twelve weeks of the year, 3.29 percent of those insured who were entitled to sick pay were unable to work, as Barmer announced on Friday. This is the highest value for this period in at least five years. This means that the rates in Bavaria are still better than at the federal level. In the first twelve weeks of this year, an average of 3.68 percent were unable to work.
In the first twelve weeks of 2022, the number was 3.12 percent and in the same period of 2021 – also because of the strict corona measures at the time – 0.82 percent. In the corresponding periods from 2018 to 2020, the values were between 2.09 and 2.54 percent. Unlike a year ago, Corona only played a minor role in sick leave this year compared to other respiratory infections.