WASHED AND READY TO EAT

I couldn't quite believe my ears the other day when an ad on the music-streaming service Spotify invited me to visit Flu Camp . The commercial spot was sponsored by a company called Retroscreen Virology Ltd, who are looking for volunteers to earn up to £3,000 staying in a hotel or 'other comfortable facility' for up to a fortnight. Their website promises all mod cons - ensuite bathrooms, wireless internet and Playstation - as well as three square meals a day and a mystery room mate. By signing up, you're helping develop new vaccines and getting yourself a free medical check-up, which I suppose is not to be sniffed at. They're perhaps pushing their luck though with the claim that it's a place to make new friends and catch up on work and study. So is my local café. But when I visit the café, I don't expect to be offered the nasal sprays, pills, injections or drips which are mentioned on the FAQ page of the Flu Camp site. There's only one thing that I can...