Thanks for the responses guys. I said when I first posted that I didn't want this to turn into a political football, but then there's always one isn't there? Time for a chat with the forum moderators. My own experience is as follows. I had concerns about having a COVID-19 jab due to a shellfish allergy. I know that in the UK precautions exist at vaccination centres, such as having defibs available. So I contacted my GP. Here is his response: "Unless patients have had documented anaphylaxis to the constituents of the C19 vaccines, including polyethylene glycol, there is no contraindication to having either AstraZeneca or PfizerBioNtech. A previous shellfish allergy which doesnt require carrying of an EpiPen adrenaline pen is reassuring too. The formulations do not contain antibiotics nor shellfish products and are not live vaccines. I hope that is reassuring". For those interested and able to understand there is a lot of information about how the different vaccines are designed and how they work. So I went ahead and had the Oxford Astra Zeneca jab on the evening of Tue 23 March, although a sister who lives in a different area of the UK was give the Pfizer jab due to her allergies. After getting home I experienced tingling in my left arm (the one I had the jab in), tingling in my mouth and teeth and an unpleasant metallic taste in my mouth. While this isn't documented in any NHS literature I have seen it mentioned on several internet sites, particularly in the USA. Anyway the following day I just felt tired with general 'flu symptoms. While the 'flu symptons have gone I still feel tired (although I often do when the clocks go forward in the UK), but have also developed significant pain and stiffness in my back and left shoulder, which are sites of previous issues. I have called the UK 111 medical service. They suggested that it might be coincidental. Gradually the stiffness is going away. My partner who has just turned 50 has also has the OAZ jab. She had quite severe 'flu/tiredness symptoms the following day, then stomach pain and feeling sick the day after that. On the third day after the jab she was fine. I know that some of the people to have the worst reactions have been young carers in the 20-30 year old age group, particularly for the first few days of after having the jab. Ultimately we have to remember that the vaccines have been developed over a period on months rather than the usual period of years. So the testing to get approvals has been compromised somewhat, but then these are unprecedented times. I think the risk of not having a jab and being infected far outweigh the risks involved in having one. Even if anyone has had one or two vaccine doses I would still urge the use of masks, social distancing and hand washing - absolute essentials IMHO. If anyone needs more genuine information rather than "pub heresay" please PM me, but please be wary of bullshit and misinformation from "pub scientists" who really know nothing and use terms such as "my understanding", holding court to the masses while telling them nothing. It's the very often undervalued professional scientists who are potentially saving the World, not the pub experts (and school children like they are with climate change not!). Roger
