LONDON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - The COVID-19 vaccine developed by
Oxford University and AstraZeneca gives good immune
responses in older people, even if there is a lack of data about
its exact efficacy, Oxford's vaccine trial chief Andrew Pollard
said on Wednesday.
Asked about a reported comment from French President
Emmanuel Macron that the vaccine is "quasi-ineffective" among
people over 65, Pollard said, "I don't understand what that
statement means."
"The point is that we have rather less data in older adults,
which is why people have less certainty about the level of
protection," Pollard told BBC radio.
"But we have good immune responses in older adults very
similar to younger adults, the protection that we do see is in
exactly the same direction, and of a similar magnitude."
Pollard said different countries would recommend that the
shot is used in different contexts after France's top health
body recommended it only given to people under 65, but he
pointed out the EU regulator had approved it for all ages.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout, editing by Estelle Shirbon)