The long-desired “normalcy” and economic breakthrough may only be achieved through a concrete Covid-19 pandemic response, a health reform advocate said on Saturday, Aug. 6.
“The sooner we achieve our vaccination and booster goals, the faster that we get back on track on our economic status and bring our lives back to normalcy. Solve Covid-19 pandemic response, inflation rate, and economic problems will be solved as well,” said health reform advocate Dr. Anthony “Tony” Leachon in a tweet.
Leachon then slammed the “very slow” vaccination and booster program of the Department of Health (DOH). The expert previously called on the national government to maximize and speed up the Covid-19 vaccinations in the country, especially the booster jabs, reiterating that this is essential amid the country’s fight against the disease.
Despite the persistent calls on the fast-tracking of inoculation, the number of boosted Filipinos remained low at 16,475,606 while the number of individuals who have completed their primary vaccine doses is at 71,838,922.
This data is based on DOH’s National Covid-19 Vaccination Dashboard as of Aug. 4. Meanwhile, Leachon likewise pushed for the involvement of various sectors in order to increase the booster inoculation in the Philippines.
“We need to involve private sector, hospitals, medical communit, pharmacies. We need a scorecard of the performance of different (LGUs),” he added.
“The issue high inflation rate is not all related to the Ukraine-Russia war, but a function of our poor Covid-19 pandemic response. That’s the real issue. hope the new administration would think differently to solve our Covid-19 crisis with other medical problems,” said Leachon in a separate tweet.