Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 12
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Staffing
Aircraft X was on the ZZZZZ departure climbing out of ZZZ.  The [Sector X] Controller climbed the aircraft to FL330 and flashed the aircraft to [Sector Y] who followed the AIT and flashed it on to me working [Sector XY].  I recognized a limited aircraft at FL360 so I waited until there were no longer a factor and I looked over and did not see a [Sector Z] Controller at the other end of the room.  I called [Sector X D side] and APPREQed control for climb for Aircraft X.  The Controller said approved as requested.  I climbed the aircraft to FL390 and violated Sector Z without a point out.I made several mistakes in this situation.  I had known that [sector] Z was open since I had shipped multiple aircraft to that sector but when I looked over at the sector I did not see a Controller at [Sector Z].  The view of the [Sector Z Controller was blocked by the Sector X Controller.  I did not see the Controller sitting behind the Sector X Controller.Another big contributing factor in this situation is that since Month during the COVID pandemic and the reduced traffic; we almost never opened sector Z.  Now that traffic has been picking up and we have been utilizing the sector more often I have made this mistake.  During the COVID posture we typically gave sector A control to climb on the ZZZ departures.  That could also create a problem once sector XY opens.I needed to pay more attention to the current sector configurations.
Center Controller reported an airspace violation and cited COVID-19 staffing and work environment configurations as contributing factors.