Healthcare personnel (HCP) in Greece who were ill with COVID-19 and had at least one underlying medical condition missed more days of work than those who had influenza or a SARS-CoV-2 infection but no symptoms, finds a study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control.
Researchers from the National Public Health Organization in Athens, Greece, led the multicenter cohort study of work absences for COVID-19 or flu among 5,871 HCP during the 2023-24 respiratory virus season (November to May).
67% vs 12% of absences due to COVID, flu
A total of 759 missed-work episodes were documented during the study period (12.9 episodes per 100 HCP). The average number of days per episode was 4.5, and the total number was 3,434 days. Of all HCP, 507 (8.6%) were diagnosed as having COVID-19, 10 (0.2%) had asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, and 88 (1.5%) had flu.
HCP who had symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 and one or more chronic conditions missed, on average, 1.76 and 0.25 more workdays than those who had no COVID-19 infection or underlying illness, respectively (95% confidence intervals [CIs], 1.55 to 1.98 and 0.05 to 0.46 days, respectively).
COVID-19, flu, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection accounted for 66.8%, 11.6%, and 1.3% of absences, respectively. In total, COVID-19 and flu were responsible for 76.5% and 9.7% of total days missed, respectively. Presenteeism, or working while ill, was identified in 113 HCP (14.9%).
“COVID-19 remains the major driver of absenteeism among HCP,” the study authors concluded.
Similar findings in 2022-23 season
In the same journal, the same research group posted a similar study of 5,752 hospital-based HCP during the 2022-23 respiratory virus season, estimating that those diagnosed as having COVID-19 accounted for 4,245 days missed, compared with 333 due to flu. In total, 734 COVID-19 cases and 93 flu cases were documented.
The average absence per COVID-19 case was 5.8 days long, compared with 3.6 days for flu. HCP with COVID-19 had an average of 1.91 more days absent (95% CI, 1.67 to 2.15) than those with flu.
HCP should be up-to-date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations and annual influenza vaccination.
“As SARS-CoV-2 becomes endemic, COVID-19 remains the prevalent cause of morbidity and absenteeism among HCP, accounting for considerably more workdays missed compared with influenza,” the authors wrote. “HCP should be up-to-date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations and annual influenza vaccination in order to protect them as well as health care systems from HCP absenteeism.”
