Wits University professor of vaccinology Dr Shabir Madhi and emeritus professor at the University of Cape Town Tim Noakes heated up Twitter with a debate on COVID-19 vaccines, reports TimesLIVE.
It began after Noakes commented on a video “inditing” (sic) US White House chief medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci. He questioned whether it was “finally beginning to unravel, as Dr Judy Mikovits predicted it would nearly two years ago”. Mikovits is a US anti-vaccine activist and former virologist, who shared scepticism about COVID-19 and the vaccine.
His comment prompted a debate, with one user suggesting numerous lives had been saved by vaccines. Noakes responded by claiming the vaccines for COVID-19 don’t qualify. “Which vaccines are you referring to? Not COVID-19, since it does not qualify as a vaccine … not according to the definition I was taught at medical school,” he said.
Madhi suggested Noakes was wrong and should get a refund from his medical school. “… The definition on a vaccine has not changed … the technology to produce vaccines has,” he said.
Noakes criticised Madhi’s “unprofessional put-down”, tweeting: “You are perhaps unaware that Madhi ‘misspoke’ by stating unequivocally that the definition of vaccines has not changed recently. When in fact it has.”
Madhi shot back: “Sorry you took offence to a reckless, Ill-informed post on your side. The definition on a vaccine has not changed, but the technology to produce vaccines has.”
Madhi also responded to suggestions the vaccine was meant to prevent infection, illness and spread of the virus, telling TimesLIVE the vaccines’ effectiveness against infection and mild COVID-19 appears to wane over time, from 90% down to about 40%-60%, the decline possibly compounded by the emergence of the Delta variant.
“Nevertheless, protection against severe Delta remains on average of more than 90%: from 80% in people older than 70, and up to 100% in younger age groups.”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Noakes: Iconic study hid findings, reached unjustifiable and possibly unethical conclusions
More academics speak out against the Tim Noakes diet
McAlpine: Noakes spread dangerous and untrue information about vaccines
Noakes cleared of misconduct. Full HPCSA judgment
Noakes claims UCT and Stellenbosch research is error ridden
Less lore and more science, please, Prof Noakes