Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion praised the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday for allowing the continued use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for people under the age of 60.
“This is good news for us, the private sector and the LGUs, who ordered a total of 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines. We are glad that the FDA changed its position and allowed the AstraZeneca vaccine to be used by individuals 18 years old and above.,” Concepcion said, according to a statement.
“This decision is vital for us because the majority of the economic frontliners both from the LGU and the private sector are within the formerly restricted age, below 60. It definitely has a significant impact for most of us, especially for our economy — having to allow the working population to be vaccinated,” he said.
The statement also quoted comments made by FDA Director-General Eric Domingo and Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“They were unanimous that for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, its overall benefit outweighs the known and potential risks,” Domingo said.
“On the recommendation given by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency said we will continue the use [of the AstraZeneca vaccine]…since the benefits outweigh the risks,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Go Negosyo vaccine effort
Meanwhile, Go Negosyo, which Concepcion founded, 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 of doses in this first week of June.
“We have also signed recently an agreement with Zuellig Pharma Corporation as our official storage and distribution partner in different locations nationwide. The private sector will also pay for its administration fee including the ones we donated to the government for our frontliners,“ Concepcion said.
“We need every help that we can get to combat this pandemic and I thank the FDA and the DOH for clarifying the confusion on this matter. Now, what we need is help from our Filipino people. We need them to be vaccinated for their loved ones, community, workplace, and for our country. We need every qualified Filipino to be vaccinated as it is the only way that we can attain herd immunity. By attaining this, we could further open our economy, and make lives and livelihood prosper in the process,” Concepcion added.