George Louis Bouches sharply criticized Mark Van Ranst in “Terzake”. The MR chief believes that the virologist should communicate less and that “driven experts” should conform more to political decisions. “Every day in the news, you fight,” it seemed. Van Ranst describes Bouches’ criticism “extremely disappointing”. “As experts, we have been managing our nickels for a year and have not yet received a euro for that. Academics are not advisors who obey silence when they get paid.”
Yesterday, Van Ranst said in “De Afspraak” that there is no possibility of reopening the hairdresser on February 13th. The MR head thinks he’s past his book as an expert. “If you want to go into politics, you have to get into politics. Health first. But like objectification, scientific studies, creativity and concern for mental health,” Bouches wrote on Twitter.
Van Ranst got into a discussion with Bouchez on Twitter, but the MR head went further in the broadcast. According to Bouchez, “the experts to whom the government pays” should abide by political decisions after their advice. Bouches also criticized Van Ranst’s frequent media appearances. “He’s in the news every day. This is no longer taking a stand, this is a military position,” Bouches said.
To an extent, to a degree
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Van Ranst described this criticism as “extremely disappointing”. “As experts, we have been managing our nickels for a year. We still haven’t received a euro for it. We are not waiting for that either,” Van Ranst says. “The mistake Mr. Bouchis makes is that he thinks academics are advisors you can pay and then remain silent. (…) We will continue to give our opinion based on facts, whatever Bouches says about them.
Mark Van Ranst
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Van Ranst also advised the news studio not to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for people over the age of 65. There were already reports that the vaccine from the British Swedish company would work less well in that age group. Today the German Vaccine Committee has already decided that elderly people will not be vaccinated with AstraZeneca.
Mark Van Ranst
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Van Ranst also concludes from the preliminary data that dosing for Pfizer or Moderna is recommended for people over the age of 65. However, this does not mean that the AstraZeneca vaccine is completely useless. “For people under the age of 65, it can be a respectable vaccine,” he said.
Mark Van Ranst
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Tests have shown that the AstraZeneca vaccine has an average of 70 percent effectiveness. That later increased to 90 percent, depending on the dose.
AstraZeneca vaccine is already in use in the UK but has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The EMA will likely release an opinion on an AstraZeneca vaccine tomorrow. After that, the European Commission has to give final approval.
In the UK, millions of people have already been vaccinated with AstraZeneca, including many over the age of 65. We have to see to what extent they will be protected, ”Van Ranst concludes.
Read also: Center for the battle between the European Union and AstraZeneca: This is the Walloon plant that caused the delay (+)
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