There was a stark contrast between the traumatic ordeal my friends and family presumed I was putting myself through, and what in reality was just a battle with boredom.
Despite spending many hours working alone at home, and having plenty of projects to keep me busy at FluCamp, the minimal comforts of the small quarantine room can eventually become monotonous.

There was always a chance of not getting a room with a window, but I didn't manage my expectations there and was disappointed with my short straw. It didn't seem like an issue initially but definitely affected my sleep and mood after 16 days. I'm a light sleeper anyhow and this with all the peripheral noise added up to feeling quite sleep-deprived by the time I left.
I felt for the other 'campers' who also had to do their blood tests though the night.

The days with lots of testing became appreciated to make the days pass quicker, whereas the days were you just see the team for meals drag on.
The meals were surprisingly good, in quality, variety and portion size, supplemented by a good range of healthy snacks. With the lack of exercise, this helped pack on a few extra kgs!

I should highlight that the team were always friendly and helpful, bringing a welcome bit of interaction and conversation.

Overall I had a good experience from screening through to quarantine and would likely do it again at some point.

Great experience. Well looked after with chatty helpful staff. Really easy to work your day job while at the quarantine location and yummy food

Flu camp was very enjoyable for me. Each stage was quick and easy. I loved the free health checks. Flu camp check everything with bloods, urine, blood pressure and your getting paid for your time.
Communication was great. Phone calls and emails with updates and next steps.
Quarantine was fantastic! The room was clean and had everything you need. Food was amazing ! Freshly cooked and you can choose what you want daily.
Lots of snacks.
Staff are really friendly and helpful.

BIG SHOUTOUT TO…..
Farah, Mallaree, Sami, Diana !!! They were so kind and chatty. Made you feel at ease.
The compensation was well worth it.

I will definitely be coming back to flu camp on the next trial.

Had an absolutely amazing experience at the flucamp. Gave me a reasonably good time away from the whole daily hustle and bustle of life and a good time for some self reflections that was very much needed.

Thanks to the amazing staff and I met some really nice new friends too. I will recommend this to anyone who needs some time off and also wants to earn some extra quid to go with it. Thank you for the experience

I would definitely recommend Flu Camp to anyone who works from home!

I thought I would hate being stuck in one room but working really helped me get through it and I rarely actually got that bored.

The food was mostly really nice and the facilities were pleasant, though you may struggle if you end up without a window like I did. You also have to be prepared for not much sleep, as you have to undergo tests quite late at night and early in the morning.

Overall it was a good experience that I’d do again. Definitely worth it for the amount of compensation you get!

My experience at FluCamp was the best! Lovely staffs, good food and great amenities.
I had the best 10 days break 😃

Seamless process and really friendly members of staff. An easy way to earn som quick money too !!

Get paid for a 2 week break. What is not to like?
The room is comfortable enough and the food is decent. My main bit of advice is to make sure you bring plenty of stuff to do

Would recommend this to anyone! Staff are so nice and helpful and good it great!

Overall a pleasant experience at flu camp. The room was fine but the bed was uncomfortable for a 15 day stay. The corridors were very noisy at all times even at night with staff so bring earplugs and an eye mask! Majority of the staff were so lovely! The food was hit and miss, definitely room for improvement and more variety needed. As someone who has a sweet tooth I missed chocolate a lot (which we were not allowed) so it would have been nice to been offered other sweet treats as snacks or with lunch rather than just dinner. I was not prepared for the number of blood samples that were to be taken, nor did I know about having to have cannulas before I entered the trial. Unfortunately my veins are super fragile and small, my arm could not handle the number of times we were having bloods taken and I am very bruised and sore due to staff having difficulty getting blood from my veins. I wish I was informed about the number of blood samples and the cannulas before hand. I would not recommend flu camp to any fussy eaters or anyone who does not feel comfortable with needles/bloods. I would do another clinical trial if I am made aware of how many times my blood would be taken and maybe a shorter trial as 15 days was very long. I never felt bored though and I am glad I did it, I am very happy with my compensation!

I had a first class care while undertaking the whole steps at flu camp as a volunteer. Their penchant for health improvement, promotion and protection were top notch. Their love and value for humanity was extremely outstanding, ranging from the friendly kindness of their staffs to the warm reception and guidance. It was indeed a very exciting experience.

I met people who were in the same boat as me, joining for the first time. The workers were always lively and friendly, creating a very chilled and likeable environment. I am surprised I did not do these trials sooner, but I will definitely do it again in 3 months, once I’m eligible again. However, I will surely come back to FluCamp because I truly enjoyed the time I spent there.

It was so much better than expected! The nurses were always very helpful and always explaining everything when I asked! I quite liked the food as well! I was able to work while I was there and made everything much easier :)
Given the circumstances, it is so much better than expected and I would gladly go back again

The worst company they asked me to come for a screening which I was never elegance for then they admitted they messed up and agreed compensation which I never received complete stitch up

Felt super safe and looked after by the staff! Always got everything explained throughly and would 100% do it again !

Just finished my 2 week trail, and I am pleased with the experience. It was an easier process than I thought it was going to be. Staff made me feel so relaxed and calm during the stay, which really helped when I got nervous about the cannula. I would recommend bringing an eye mask and the lights don’t get turned off till late and they get turned on at 6am which is not ideal. Basic room which could have been more comfortable but maybe the Canary Wharf facility will be better. I’ll have to find out on my next trial :)

Overall it was a much more pleasant experience than I expected. I was lucky enough to not experience any flu-like symptoms and received my hourly bloods during the day instead of overnight. Food was ok, not many options but that’s to be expected. Bathroom facilities were good but the bed was not ideal (not very comfortable for a two week stay). I averaged about 6 hours sleep at night due to lights off at midnight and daily wake up calls at 6am.

A great way to earn money whilst being able to work on personal projects with minimal intrusion.

Everything was as one would expect of being quarantined in a room for 2 weeks whilst being medically probed. Not luxury, but more than tolerable. Staff were all professional and friendly, food was decent, unlimited snacks was a novel treat.

The only negative to report would be the blood testing schedule after being dosed with the study drug at 8pm and then having blood tests hourly until 11am the following morning. This occurred twice on the study and was the only challenging part I would say. I’m told it isn’t every study, but something to be mindful of if you need sleep.

Lights out is generally about 11pm and you are woken at 6am, so again, exhausting if you like at least 8 hours unbroken sleep. But since you are getting paid to be left to your own devices, not the worst price to pay. No such thing as an easy job, after-all.

Also if you are hairy chested as I am, expect a good wax from the ECG, akin to Steve Carrell in The 40 Year Old Virgin’.

I recently participated in a flu camp trial, it was an incredibly positive experience. From the moment I arrived, the staff were polite and friendly, and made me feel at ease and comfortable. They went above and beyond to ensure I had everything I needed throughout the trial.

The food and snacks provided were great and there was never a shortage. The desserts are especially delicious!

The Doctor in charge of the trial was incredibly professional, she took the time to thoroughly explain the process and answer any questions I had. I had a bit of an issue which she sorted and made me feel really heard and looked after.

Overall, I would highly recommend flu camp trials to anyone looking to participate in a medical study. The staff, food, and overall experience were top-notch and I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

The process from first contact to enrolment did take a while (over a year); some of that was due to FluCamp’s schedule (presumably managing a high volume of volunteer appointments), and then in Autumn last year when we resumed the appointment process a delay happened due to me having donated blood recently and therefore not being able to continue the process until 3 months had passed. FluCamp should advise upfront what could contribute to delays in getting through the process so that volunteers can be mindful of this.

Having read most of the reviews in advance, I was very sceptical. However, now that I’ve gone through the full process, I can confidently advise anyone who is interested, that this is a completely legitimate operation - there are just lots of moving parts. I would also say that you should only sign up if you’re a patient person and have a semi-flexible schedule. I work from home most of the week, and I’m fortunate that my work setup allows me to complete a lot of work out of standard business hours.

Once I was enrolled onto a trial, it was a very quick process (I would have preferred if the confirmation call happened at least 10-14 days beforehand, but as it stood, I was given 7 days notice. My only criticism of this was that I was anxious about making sure I could adhere to the list of items to abstain from in the lead up to the trial.

The trial took place in a medical research facility behind Whitechapel Road, but I think the location is changing very soon. I originally thought it would take place in a hotel, but I was quite relieved that it was more like a hospital ward with lots of doctors and nurses around.

Enrolment day is a busy one, lots of health checks. After that, there were just routine daily health checks (nasal wash, vitals, symptom questionnaires). There were two instances of heavy cannula days which aren’t fun and just uncomfortable at times. That lasts for 15-72 hours each time.

I heard that a few people hated the food, but honestly, I found it to be absolutely fine. It's basically canteen food. You order food from an app which gets sent to the kitchen staff each day. There is a modest range of meat, veggie, and vegan options. There are daily specials for the evening meals, and I was pleasantly surprised by the decent roast option I chose for Sunday dinner. The key is to sample across the menu and find out what’s good. I’d say out of the 15 days and 3 meals a day, I had 2-3 meals that weren’t great, but did the job just fine). The seasoning is hit and miss, but not the end of the world - you can request sachets of salt and pepper. There are healthy snacks provided, though there could definitely be more fresh fruit made available to volunteers. For me, having a couple of apples and a banana will fill me up for longer than a packet of crisps, popcorn, or nut bar.

Sleep was occasionally an issue for me, but that was because I was situated right next to the hatch where the blood samples get sent to the lab. It was pretty loud and my bed shook every time the latch was opened or close (not fun but couldn't be helped). It's only an issue if you're near a hatch.

The staff were absolutely lovely and there were zero negative interactions. Obviously, you learn who your favourite people are because they chat a little more or have a great bedside manner. As it is a research operation, there are quite a few younger members of staff who I can only presume are students training in various medical professions. They’re very sweet and I was happy to be a guinea pig for their journey - they all have to practice and learn!

My quarantine period (the trial) was 15 days in total. It’s a bit lonely, but the room has a smart tv, games console, modest en suite, hospital bed, hospital table and chair, and was approximately 11ft by 9ft. It’s small and I didn’t have a window (others did), so it becomes a mind over matter thing. I kept myself busy with work, music, tv, and napping.

My personal experience of the actual virus and test drug is that I had zero symptoms, and it was a double-blind trial which meant neither myself or staff were aware of whether I was taking the placebo or test drug. This isn’t necessarily the case for everyone, but I was monitored everyday and felt extremely safe and cared for.

It’s 2 days since I’ve been discharged and payment 1 of 2 has already started processing - the email came through earlier this morning. I had a feedback call about my experience with Betty, who was very engaging and helped me understand more about the background operations and additional benefits.

You can also have items delivered (not food or meds).

I will definitely be signing up for future trials as I am much more confident in the FluCamp operation, it’s legitimacy, and the benefits have outweighed any slight inconveniences. This will go towards paying for my Masters degree!