Eric Clapton has shared his experience of being vaccinated, calling his reactions to it “disastrous” and criticising the so-called “propaganda” promoting the vaccine’s safety.

In a letter written to Italian architect (and anti-lockdown activist) Robin Monotti Graziadei, shared on Telegram and verified by Rolling Stone, Clapton detailed the side effects he experienced after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

“I took the first jab of AZ and straight away had severe reactions which lasted ten days. I recovered eventually and was told it would be twelve weeks before the second one…,” Clapton wrote in the letter.

“About six weeks later I was offered and took the second AZ shot, but with a little more knowledge of the dangers. Needless to say the reactions were disastrous, my hands and feet were either frozen, numb or burning, and pretty much useless for two weeks, I feared I would never play again, (I suffer with peripheral neuropathy and should never have gone near the needle.) But the propaganda said the vaccine was safe for everyone…”

What Clapton described in his letter is generally in line with what people can expect from receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. It has been well documented that possible side-effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine can include fatigue, chills, fever, nausea, headaches or “generally feeling unwell”. It can also cause “excessive sweating, itchy skin or rash”, though this is less common.

Last year, Clapton teamed up with fellow lockdown sceptic Van Morrison for the track ‘Stand and Deliver’, which was just one of many songs Morrison recorded about the UK government’s approach to curbing the spread of COVID-19.

“I continue to tread the path of passive rebellion and try to tow [sic] the line in order to be able to actively love my family, but it’s hard to bite my tongue with what I now know,” Clapton wrote in his letter.

“Then I was directed to Van [Morrison]; that’s when I found my voice, and even though I was singing his words, they echoed in my heart… I recorded ‘Stand and Deliver’ in 2020, and was immediately regaled with contempt and scorn.”