The Germans are on sick go away for 15 days – due to these sicknesses | EUROtoday

According to figures from the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), sick go away in Germany is declining barely – however stays at a excessive degree. Every TK-insured worker was on sick go away for a median of 15.36 days this 12 months as much as and together with October. Last 12 months this worth was 15.86 days.

The drawback of excessive ranges of absenteeism from work as a result of sickness will due to this fact proceed to have an effect on the financial system. Since Corona, these absences have elevated considerably. In the previous, enterprise leaders have repeatedly complained concerning the disadvantages for Germany as a enterprise location as a result of elevated illness absences. Apparently nothing has modified because the coronavirus is on the decline. Because different ailments are growing.

As in earlier years, colds, musculoskeletal ailments and psychological diagnoses are accountable for most absences amongst staff on the Techniker Krankenkasse. However, the frequency of those ailments has modified.

Another slight enhance in psychological findings

According to the medical insurance firm’s survey, there’s a “new slight” enhance in psychological findings, which embrace, for instance, melancholy or anxiousness problems. While there have been 3.11 days of absence on this space from January to October of the earlier 12 months, the worth rose to three.14 days of absence within the comparable interval of 2025.

However, downtime as a result of sicknesses of the musculoskeletal system has decreased. This sickness brought about 2.26 days of absence from January to October in 2024. In the comparable interval of 2025, the worth was 2.17 days of absence.

According to TK, colds are additionally declining barely. “When it comes to colds, the average absence per TK-insured employee was 3.48 days in the first ten months of 2025. In 2024, this value was slightly higher at 3.79,” says the TK.

The Barmer medical insurance firm additionally took an in depth take a look at absences as a result of respiratory ailments. By calendar week 47 of 2025, it evaluated what number of of its insured individuals had been unable to work as a result of this analysis. According to Barmer, it exhibits that corona ailments are declining, whereas flu ailments have elevated.

Barmer sees causes for the rise in flu circumstances in “numerous causes”, reminiscent of new influenza viruses, a decrease flu vaccination fee than in earlier years and climate elements. According to Barmer, the actual fact that there have been fewer corona sick notes in 2025 than in 2024 is also as a result of the truth that “corona is now tested less frequently for cold symptoms and a sick note is therefore under a different diagnosis”. Overall, Barmer is observing a “similar level” of sick go away charges as a result of respiratory ailments over the 12 months 2025 as within the earlier 12 months.

This article was created in collaboration with “Business Insider Germany“.

Andreas Macho is a WELT enterprise reporter in Berlin with a concentrate on well being.