Covid-19: Fact-checking Macron's over-65s claim about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine By Reality Check team image copyrightGetty Images On the day the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on 29 January for use for all age groups in the EU, French president Emmanuel Macron claimed that it was "quasi-ineffective" for people over 65. He added that "the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca". But the UK government and British medical regulators strongly disagree. So what is the evidence on the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine and older people? Who's doing what? Following Mr Macron's comments, France's Health Authority made an official recommendation on 2 February that the vaccine should not be used for people over 65. It said more studies were needed before it was rolled out to older age groups.