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European doctors are snubbing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine after a concerted EU campaign casting doubts on its effectiveness. 

Mild 'side effects' including high temperatures and headaches have been reported by a small percentage of medical staff on the continent, despite there being no evidence of such occurrences in the UK, where the jab has been rolled out even more widely.

As Brussels missteps in its vaccine procurement process became clear, and it demanded that AstraZeneca ramp up supplies to Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to 'manage demand' for the vaccine by questioning its effectiveness in the over-65s. 

'What I can tell you officially today is that the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca,' he said.

And the German regulator also raised questions by failing to approve it for the over-65s.

Both statements were based on the relatively small number of over-65s in the original clinical trial of the Oxford vaccine. 

But their claims have been debunked by the World Health Organisation last week which officially recommended the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for people over the age of 65 and said it should be used 'without an upper age limit'. 

It came after scientists slammed spurious claims published in German newspapers Handelsblatt and Bild which said government sources had warned the jab only appeared to be eight per cent effective but didn't publish any data to prove it.

Oxford University rubbished the report, saying there was 'no basis' for the allegation, and that their data has already been 'released transparently'.

AstraZeneca, manufacturing the jab on behalf of Oxford, said it was 'completely incorrect'.

And scientists added they had 'no idea' where the figure has come from, adding that it was not proved by research on the vaccine.

Despite EU rancour last month, the European Medicines Agency, the Bloc's regulator, then granted approval to the AstraZeneca vaccine for all age groups. 

Furthermore, Oxford researchers said the jab appears to be between 62 and 90 per cent effective in the adult population in general.

Despite the growing evidence, however, scepticism remains in large areas on the continent.