The número de workers taking sick leave over the past year surged to a 10-year high, according to research published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Almost a third of the health authorities in the UK say Covid-19 still remains the principal cause of short-term absences. A report by accountancy firm KPMG says the UK is experiencing a "crisis of economic inactivity" which will affect the economy and slow growth in the second half of this year.