Eric Clapton Describes 'Disastrous' Vaccine Aftermath

Rocker says he thought he might never play guitar again
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted May 18, 2021 4:01 AM CDT
Eric Clapton Describes 'Disastrous' Vaccine Aftermath
In this April 14, 2013 file photo, Eric Clapton performs at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013 at Madison Square Garden in New York.   (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

Eric Clapton says the side effects from the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine left him thinking he may never play guitar again, the Los Angeles Times reports. In a letter to Italian architect Robin Monotti Graziadei, which Graziadei shared on the Telegram app, per the Hill, the 76-year-old rocker says that while "the propaganda said the vaccine was safe for everyone," his experience was "disastrous." His "severe reactions" to the first shot lasted 10 days, and when he got his second shot six weeks later, his hands and feet were "pretty much useless for two weeks," due to being "either frozen, numb, or burning." He noted that he has peripheral neuropathy, and now believes he should not have gotten the vaccine.

Graziadei has been outspoken with regard to sharing his anti-lockdown views on social media during the coronavirus pandemic, and Clapton, of course, released an anti-lockdown song with Van Morrison and has supported other lockdown opponents. As the Times reports, the controversial COVID news surrounding Clapton has also led to past racist statements of his being resurfaced. In 1976, for example, he suggested all "foreigners" leave his concert before railing about being "into racism" and wanting to keep "Britain white." He later apologized and blamed his substance abuse problems. (More Eric Clapton stories.)

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