The number of people on long-term sick leave in the United Kingdom (U.K.) has risen by 700,000 since the spring of 2021, coinciding with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, according to healthcare commentator John Campbell, Ph.D.

Campbell highlighted the trend in a March 21 video, which focused on an exchange in the Houses of Parliament between members of Parliament Andrew Bridgen, who raised the issue, and Mel Stride, who dismissed Bridgen’s concerns.

During the exchange, Bridgen said the number of long-term sick individuals in the U.K. had risen from 2.1 million pre-pandemic to 2.8 million.

“The huge increase started in spring 2021, at the same time as the rollout of the experimental emergency use vaccines,” Bridgen said. “Or does the minister have an alternative explanation?”