LAST Friday, two days into the New Year, was apparently the day when most of the country were “pulling a sickie”.

Not being able to face the final day of the working week, after eight days of merry-making and carousing over Christmas and New Year, the British workforce, it was alleged, downed-tools and stayed at home.

But, of course, the excuse could not be given that the labour market had encountered a dose of inertia, rather most able-bodied people who are normally fit and healthy had simultaneously succumbed to a bout of seasonal flu.

Now, there is a lot of it about, as doctors are trained for five years to say, but the laws of probability would surely be fit to bust if 28m people all went down with the same bug on the same day. However, faced with a slow day at the office, as opposed to a hard day’s grind in front of daytime TV, a lot of people, it seems, settled down to the rigours of Cash in the Attic and Deal or No Deal? on January 2.

Perhaps they were influenced by TV all along? There is a current TV ad for an over-the-counter cold remedy which actively encourages sufferers “to throw a sickie”.

The commercial advocates that those with flu-like symptoms should “take a Benylin day” in bed, rather than go to work.

On this one, I wouldn’t need asking twice – not because I’m a malingerer, but simply because I love the warm, syrupy taste of Benylin.

If I’d been exhorted to take a Veno’s cough mixture day, I might have thought again. Naturally, little Britain is up in arms about this.

The Federation of Small Businesses has said that the campaign would encourage absenteeism on a large scale, costing firms millions in the credit crunch.

The FSB has also com-plained about an associated website which gives top tips on how to call in sick.

Isn’t this typical of the puritan streak running through the UK? We work the longest hours in Europe, have a significantly worse work-life balance, yet the suggestion that people who feel ill should stay at home is put on a par with the end of civilisation as we know it.

Benylin also defends itself by stating that Britain has the lowest rate of sickness absenteeism in Europe, as confirmed by Trades Union Congress research.

What about those annoying people who do struggle into work, acting up the flu-ridden martyr role, and then proceed to distribute their germs with unlimited kindness and largesse?

Not content with flaunting their own illness as a badge of honour, they’re determined to make everyone else poorly in the process. This is surely how the recent virulent flu bug has been passed from citizen to citizen, knocking out far more working hours than if the original victims had simply taken a duvet day.

Or, as a friend who ran her own business called it, a NQA (no questions asked) day. In other words, a tacit agreement that a few extra days off kept the wheels turning.

The website www.takeabenylinaday.co.uk makes the suggestion about what to do during your day of sickness. And here we are on dodgy ground. Perhaps realistic people should just concentrate on getting better, rather than indulging in the recommended “film therapy”, which gives a list of the latest DVD release and reviews to “take your mind off your aches and pains”.

As they don’t mention it, presumably nipping off down to Blockbusters to pick up your carefully chosen movie is regarded as pushing your luck a bit too far – and I don’t mean medically.

Or the site suggests you could play the free online game, Germ Invaders, while apparently prostrate in bed.

If any of this appeals, then I suggest you are actually well enough to go to work, especially as most jobs seem to entail the employees spending their time peering at screens.

The trouble is that all these sorts of ideas come from bright young things in public relations firms desperately trying to find ways of getting their clients’ names into the news.

These are the so-called workers who should really be taking the day off. They wouldn’t be missed and can stay under the duvet for as long as they like.