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According to a newspaper report, workers over 50 years of age are hit much harder than younger people by the second wave of the corona pandemic.

The number of sick leave for people over 50 increased by 44 percent between the end of October and mid-December, according to the “RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland” from a data analysis by the health insurance company Barmer.

In the 30 to 49 year olds, the number of corona sick leave increased by 25 percent in the same period, it said.

For those under 30, it has even dropped by 18 percent.

In the first wave of the pandemic, the differences in the individual age groups in terms of sick leave due to Covid-19 were not so great.

"Even if the share of sick leave among the younger generation is decreasing, no age group should be lulled into a false sense of security," said Barmer's chairman, Christoph Straub, of the newspaper.

"The hardest part of the pandemic is yet to come," he warned.

Compliance with hygiene and contact rules is now more important than ever, especially since there is a risk that more contagious virus variants will spread.

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At the height of the first wave, the number of sick leave due to Covid-19 was lower in all age groups than in December, according to the report.

In this comparison, too, the sharp increase in incapacity for work due to Corona in the age group over 50 years old is noticeable.

At its peak in spring, 2.53 out of 1,000 employees over 50 years of age were on sick leave.

In mid-December it was 3.99.

Among the under 30 year olds, 1.7 in spring, 1.79 in December and among 30 to 49 year olds 1.81 in spring and 2.53 in mid-December per 1,000 employees were on sick leave.

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