Swine Flu Vaccine 'Well Rough' Says Area Man

For reasons too dull to explain, I am apparently at sufficient risk from the threat of swine flu that on Friday I received both a shot of the H1N1 vaccine Pandemrix and, for good measure, the seasonal flu vaccine too. This is partly because I attend a single-GP surgery - the NHS has given each one a standard 500 doses, regardless of the number of doctors or patients. Many others have to wait.

Taking the vaccine seems like an eminently sensible idea to me, despite the inevitable scare-mongering from the Daily Mail. Nevertheless, whilst I've travelled a bit and I've had jabs many times, I really haven't experienced side-effects like this before. I still have a dead-arm, as though I've just been punched hard, that is too painful to lie on. By seven o' clock last night I also had most of the 'very common' reactions that affect more than one in ten people: incredible tiredness, a fever, loss of appetite, aching muscles and joint pain that meant I could hardly move. So much for enjoying Saturday night - I was out cold by about ten and when I woke up this morning, still found I could barely stand.

I know protection against the flu pandemic is important, but jeebus this vaccine is well rough...