Absenteeism due to COVID-19, influenza and RSV among hospital-based healthcare personnel in Greece during the 2024-2025 season: A cohort study.

Publication date: Jun 25, 2026

Data on absenteeism of healthcare personnel (HCP) in post-COVID-19 pandemic seasons are scarce. We studied the morbidity and absenteeism associated with influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among HCP in Greece during 2024-2025. We followed 4421 hospital-based HCP from November 11, 2024, to May 25, 2025. The main outcomes of interest were incidence of absenteeism and length of absence. A multivariable regression model was used to assess association between length and reason for absenteeism, vaccination status, and HCP characteristics. A total of 645 absenteeism episodes occurred (14. 6 episodes per 100 HCP). The mean duration of absence was 3. 4 days, totaling 2190 days during the study period. COVID-19, influenza, RSV infection, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection were diagnosed in 31. 9%, 14. 4%, 0. 9%, and 0. 3% of absenteeism episodes, respectively. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19 or asymptomatic infection), influenza, and RSV infection accounted for 36. 1%, 18. 0%, and 1. 1% of total workdays missed, respectively. The multivariable regression model indicated that COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with 1. 37 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1. 14-1. 60] more days of absence compared to HCP with absenteeism due to other reasons, while influenza vaccination was associated with 0. 81 (95% CI: 0. 31-1. 31) fewer days of absence compared to no vaccination. The influenza vaccine effectiveness against influenza-associated absenteeism was 55. 4% CONCLUSION: COVID-19 and seasonal influenza remain the prevalent causes of absenteeism in HCP during 2024-2025. HCP who had received the influenza vaccine had less absenteeism than unvaccinated HCP.

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