Concepcion: Astrazeneca Jab for All Age Groups A Big Boost to Vaccine Effort, Economic Rebond

The Department of Health’s (DOH) announcement of the official resumption of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for all age groups is a big boost toward efforts to vaccinate economic frontliners. This according to Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion. “It’s certainly a huge step forward, especially when it comes to combating vaccine hesitancy,” he said. The DOH’s announcement came following the recommendation of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the DOH All Experts Group on Vaccines. The DOH concluded that there are currently no known risk factors for Vaccine-Induced Thrombosis and Thrombocytopenia (VITT), a very rare condition of blood clots associated with low platelet counts. To date, there have been no local confirmed VITT events. "This is a big boost,” said Concepcion, “especially following the endorsement of the DOLE,” he said. The DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) earlier released an advisory promoting the vaccination of private sector employees, a move which Concepcion said was significant given calls from the business sector to open the economy and regain losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision is seen to positively impact the public-private partnership efforts to secure 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines. Under the “A Dose of Hope” program pioneered by Concepcion’s GoNegosyo, the private sector, vaccine manufacturers and the government were able to agree to expedite the vaccine procurement process and make it possible for the private sector to secure vaccines for private sector employees and economic frontliners. Concepcion said that the decision comes just in time as the two million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are expected to arrive in the country this month. “The DOH concluded after discussions with experts that the benefits of receiving the vaccine outweigh the risks, and we wholeheartedly agree,” he said. “We need to vaccinate as many Filipinos as we can so we can achieve herd immunity and give people back their jobs.” "Economic frontliners come in all age groups, and we need everyone safe and vaccinated for us to return back to normal,” he said. Go Negosyo is leading the implementation of this vaccine effort from the private sector and the preparation is now in full swing as it expects the first arrival in the first week of June. Its Let’s Go Bakuna information and education campaign is already in full swing to combat vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos. The GoNegosyo efforts also include an agreement with Zuellig Pharma Corporation as its official storage and distribution partner in different locations nationwide. The private sector will also pay for its administration fee including the ones donated to the government for its frontliners. ###

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