Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion hailed the government Wednesday, Dec. 22 for heeding the private sector’s recommendation to shorten the time for vaccinated Filipinos to get their coronavirus disease (COVID-19) booster shots.
“We are grateful that the DOH (Department of Health) heard our call. We want to thank Sec. Charlie Galvez, Sec. Francisco Duque, Dr, Edsel Salvaña, and the vaccine expert panel including Dr. Gene Solante and FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) Director General Eric Domingo for approving the suggestion of the private sector to give the booster earlier,” Concepcion said in a statement.
“Early boosting will help us secure a win against COVID-19,” added the Palace official.
It can be recalled that Concepcion and Fr. Nic Austriaco of OCTA Research released a joint statement regarding booster shots during Go Negosyo’s "Preventing the Surge" townhall meeting last Dec. 15.
“While the National Capital Region (NCR) will continue to enjoy low COVID cases and its healthcare system is at very low risk of being overwhelmed, the Philippines needs to administer booster vaccinations in as short as three to four months after the second dose to mitigate the effects of the Omicron variant,” Concepcion and Austriaco said.
On Dec. 21, the DOH announced that all adults were now eligible to receive a single-dose booster of the COVID-19 vaccine in as early as three months after their second dose of the AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinovac or Sputnik vaccine; or as early as two months for those who got the single-shot Janssen brand. Previously, the DOH recommended booster shots only after the sixth month of the completed initial dosage.
The private sector sought the earlier deployment of the boosters to better protect Filipinos from breakthrough cases such as those that can be potentially caused by the Omicron variant that is sweeping the globe, triggering fresh lockdowns or mobility restrictions.
“We need to act fast by getting ahead before the immunity from the first two doses wane. We are in a good position to increase our protection and keep our 'Bakuna Bubble' intact now that cases are low and vaccine supply is stable,” Concepcion said.
The Go Negosyo founder noted that the private sector already has enough jabs on standby, waiting to be rolled out.
“This call for early boosting is important to prevent Omicron from hitting us hard. Our numbers are very low now and continue to go down. This is not luck. This was planned so we must fortify our defenses with early boosting. We have now a lot of vaccines and if we don’t use them, these will expire.”
Concepcion further said: "Foresight and a pro-active stance made the difference in what the Philippines is right now: one of the safest places in the world."
President Duterte on Tuesday urged Filipinos to take advantage of the available supply for booster shots.