Germany saying AZ vaccine only 8% effective in over 65s *MNHQ noting that this story has been widely debunked*

[dbIdb]

What fresh hell is this.

Why, why, why was the Oxford trial/data reporting so sloppy?

How has it come to this??

Who is saying this and why do you believe them over the U.K. vaccine regulator?

The EU vaccine regulator is saying it.

Source please

So not “Germany” then?

Vaccines are often less effective in older people are they not.

German federal chiefs expect the jab to be just '8 per cent effective' in people over 65 years of age, the newspapers Bild and Handelsblatt said tonight.

@MadameBlobby

So not “Germany” then?

Vaccines are often less effective in older people are they not.

I mistyped - have asked it to be changed to “EU.”

This is going to be headline news tomorrow.

How has it come to this?

I just Googled. AZ have refuted these claims.

It’s in the DM if you google. The claims have been denied.

@dbIdb

The EU vaccine regulator is saying it.

No they are not, a German newspaper is saying it, quoting anonymous sources who won't release the data. Could just be a misunderstanding over the wide confidence levels from a small subset of data for all we know.

This includes a response from AstraZeneca and from the University of Oxford, as well as others:
www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-reports-from-germany-that-the-oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-has-8-efficacy-in-over-65s/

Well the story I read on sky news suggested that the EU were pissed off that AZ are now saying they can’t give them the vaccine they promised. Sounds more like sour grapes due to that.

Even so if it were true we can give older people the other vaccines surely.

There are a fair few threads on it on Twitter and thus far literally no actual evidence has been provided that I have seen, so I’m not going to worry about it just yet.... 🤞🏻

twitter.com/fact_covid/status/1353830105467019265?s=21

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/25/brussels-threatens-block-exports-pfizer-covid-vaccine/

www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu-astrazeneca-ger-idUSKBN29U2D9

But its denied. Where on earth do they get the random 8% from?

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-11-19-oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-produces-strong-immune-response-older-adults#

Oxford coronavirus vaccine produces strong immune response in older adults

EU are cheddared with astra zeneca anyway as Astra zenaca backed down in how much vaccine could be supplied to EU
Can't see how astra zeneca would have been approved if this were true

And to give the other side of the story, this is what a Handelsblatt journalist is saying:
mobile.twitter.com/washingtonski/status/1353841867029438465

Bild is the German equivalent of The Sun, except worse. The report isn't properly sourced.

EU are pissed that the full order for the vaccine can't be met.

They are now threatening the European manufacturers of the oxford with legal action and slagging off the vaccine.

More worryingly they are now try to make Pfizer have to legally declare any vaccines and how much before they leave the EU. We get Pfizer from Belgium factory. So basically the plan seems to be to try and stop vaccines leaving the EU. Which could cause us issues.

Thanks folks, your responses sound more reassuring.

Have also seen the news that the EU are trying to withhold our Pfizer vaccines. Talk about sour grapes!

@dbIdb

Thanks folks, your responses sound more reassuring.

Have also seen the news that the EU are trying to withhold our Pfizer vaccines. Talk about sour grapes!

Yeah all sounds like a bit of tit for tat.

@Beecham

Bild is the German equivalent of The Sun, except worse. The report isn't properly sourced.

True about Bild, but the original story is in Handelsblatt, which is definitely not like the Sun.

Unfortunately it's partially paywalled and obviously it's also in German, but if you understand the language the first part is here:
app.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/pandemie-bekaempfung-rueckschlag-bei-corona-impfstoff-astra-zeneca-vakzin-wirkt-bei-senioren-wohl-kaum/26849788.html

Patriotism is incredible...because it’s a German newspaper it must be due to sour grapes over the EU-AZ vaccine contract? Maybe let’s see how this plays out before assuming it’s all nationalist tit-for-tat.

I’m not a U.K. patriot, I’m a European. I’m still a bit cynical that after being hacked off they’re not getting all their vaccine they all of a sudden claim the vaccine is shit.

The EU are not happy that since Brexit the UK have got on quickly with vaccinations. We approved AZ vaccine and Biontec faster than the EU with all of its beurocrassy. I think EU have vaccinated about 8.2M between all of its countries and the UK 6.8M. If we had thrown in our lot with EU as many in UK were saying we should have done we would be so much further behind on vaccines. We ordered very early before vaccines were made and it cost a lot more Money to do so, EU only ordered once they knew vaccines would work. That is why they are lower down the queue. Vaccines is the one thing the UK have got right.

Hope not