In Finland, about 120,000 people have received sickness benefit after a coronavirus infection in the first four months of 2022. The figure is almost equal to the total number of beneficiaries for the whole of 2021.
The S Group, a retail giant with about 40,000 employees, said increased absenteeism has forced the chain to limit opening hours or temporarily close some of its outlets.
"The early part of the year was a challenging time as Omicron began to get out of control. Our stores are really stretched due to lack of manpower," S Group personnel expert Matti Rรคisรคnen told Yle.
The Finnish Benefits Agency Kela has paid EUR 91 million in benefits so far this year, compared to EUR 115 million in 2021.
The agency said it has had to hire 50 new staff to help clear the congestion, adding that some 125,000 Covid grant applications are currently pending.
The high figures have been linked to an unprecedented peak in coronary virus cases, hospitalizations and Covid deaths in the first five months of this year, although health authorities said in April that the pandemic was now likely to peak in Finland.
The improvement has been reflected in a steady decline in both Covid patients in hospitals and Covid support applications. Nevertheless, Kela receives about 3,000 applications a day, the agency added.
Covid support is paid to employers for workers quarantined or caring for a sick child. The subsidy fully compensates for lost wages.
"The financing of the Covid grant is of great social importance," said Milla KaitolaKela’s director of benefits and added that the compensation will also help alleviate the financial shock to companies caused by the pandemic.
Source: The Nordic Page