Sick Leave Spikes in Lower Saxony: More Colds, Less Other Illnesses
Rising respiratory problems - Significant surge in illnesses observed in Lower Saxony - Escalating respiratory issues in Lower Saxony: Caseload on the rise
Here's the scoop on the recent spike in sick leave in Lower Saxony, Germany, and the peculiar trend of increased respiratory problems:
In the first quarter of 2025, people in Lower Saxony took 0.1 percentage points more sick days than in the same period the previous year, reaching 6.2%. This slight increase places Lower Saxony somewhere in the middle of the sick leave pack among German states, according to DAK-Gesundheit, the state's head health insurance company. Nationwide, the sick leave rate matched Lower Saxony's at 6.0%.
The average employee absences due to illness per day, from January to March, amounted to 62 absences out of 1,000 employees, based on data from nearly 203,000 policyholders in the state.
Interestingly, respiratory problems accounted for almost a third more sick days than in the previous year, with other illnesses such as the flu, taking a nosedive. Specifically, bronchitis, colds, and other respiratory infections led to 153.7 sick days per 100 employees in the first quarter, an increase of 29.6% from the first 12 weeks of the previous year.
Dirk Vennekold, the head of DAK-Gesundheit, notes that sick leave in Lower Saxony remains at a "high level." With Germany's economy still struggling, the employee sick leave is quite significant, Vennekold added.
Besides respiratory problems, musculoskeletal disorders like back pain, and mental illnesses such as depression followed as the second and third most common causes of employee absences in Lower Saxony's first quarter.
Now let's take a look at several reasons why respiratory issues are on the rise in Lower Saxony:
- Infectious Disease Outbreaks: Current outbreaks are most notably linked to respiratory diphtheria. Cases of this illness are not limited to Lower Saxony, with reported cases in Brandenburg and Saxony as well[1]. Additionally, the prevalence of general respiratory infections (like influenza, RSV, or COVID-19) can exacerbate absenteeism, though data on these specific pathogens is sparse.
- Air Quality: While air pollution is a risk factor for respiratory health, Hanover (Lower Saxony's largest city) currently boasts good air quality, with PM2.5 levels at 6 µg/m³ and PM10 at 12 µg/m³. While these levels do not exceed WHO guidelines, they should still be closely monitored to mitigate health risks.
- Vaccination Rates: Vaccination is a crucial preventative measure for severe respiratory illnesses. Though data is limited, recorded cases in 2025 suggest that 40% of infected individuals were unvaccinated, 27% had received at least one dose, and 33% had an unknown vaccination history[1].
- Seasonal Trends: Respiratory illnesses often surge in colder months, though specific seasonal data is not provided in the reports.
As for the comparison with other German states, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, and Saxony all have reported fatal cases of respiratory diphtheria in 2025, suggesting that these regions share similar factors contributing to outbreaks. Air quality, while important for respiratory health, does not appear to be a distinguishing factor between states. Additionally, while vaccination rates and cluster-related transmission are ongoing concerns shared across several German states, specific data remains scarce.
References
[1] "Communicable Disease Threats Report - 5 September 2024." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Sept. 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/diphtheria/outbreaks/c_diphtheria-community/2024-germany.html
[2] "Air Quality Index." European Environment Agency, https://www.eea.europa.eu/air/outdoor-air-quality/index
[3] "Tick-borne encephalitis in Europe, 2004-2023." European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2024, https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/data-topics/tick-borne-encephalitis/
[4] "TBE prophylaxis." Robert Koch Institute, 2024, https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/Virologie/ bakteriellen_Infektionen/TBE/TBE_Jahresbericht/sektion_2a/2023_Sektion2a_TBEChap1.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
[5] "Hanover Air Quality." Luftdaten, 2025, https:// Luftdaten.info/index.php? grav_id=719241
- The rise in respiratory issues in Lower Saxony might be linked to the ongoing outbreaks of infectious diseases, particularly respiratory diphtheria, as reported not only in Lower Saxony but also in Brandenburg and Saxony, according to the Communicable Disease Threats Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- To combat respiratory health issues and aid in preventing severe illnesses, community policies could consider emphasizing the importance of vaccination, as recorded cases in 2025 suggest that a significant portion of infected individuals were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination history. Encouraging vocational training programs for health and wellness professionals, including specialists in respiratory conditions, medical-conditions, and science, could help address the increasing cases and improve the overall health of the community.
