Concepcion: ‘Bold moves’ needed to contain Delta variant, save Q4 of 2021

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion has urged the government to make “bold moves” to quell the spread of the Delta variant and save the make-or-break fourth quarter of the year to shore up the battered economy.

“If the coming fourth quarter will be a disaster because of the Delta variant, then the entire 2022 will face a severe challenge,” stressed Concepcion.

He shared these thoughts during a meeting with IATF-EID Chairperson and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, MMDA Chairperson Benjamin Abalos Jr., various medical experts, and key private sector leaders to discuss the possibility of safely reopening the country’s economy, while remaining vigilant of the threat brought by the Delta variant.

Concepcion said during the meeting that bold moves are indispensable at this time to immediately quell the recently discovered community transmission of the dreaded Delta variant that is two to three times more contagious than the original COVID-19 variant.

Concepcion said the government could consider exerting more pressure on those who refuse to take the life-saving COVID-19 shots to get themselves vaccinated to protect themselves, their families, and the greater community.

Concepcion told Secretary Duque, the chairperson of the country’s policy-making body to fight COVID-19, that it may be worth considering the recent policy enforced in France to prevent rising COVID-19 cases by lessening the mobility of the unvaccinated population, that is, to restrict them from entering certain establishments, eating out or moving around the country as they pose a risk to public health.

Conversely, incentives can be provided to businesses that will aim for full vaccination of their employees, such as increased operational capacity so they can recover lost revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Individuals can also be incentivized by granting them more mobility and ease of travel, which will mean doing away with mandatory tests since they have become fully protected against COVID-19.

Concepcion also hopes that President Duterte and the IATF-EID will consider this.

“It might be one of the good news that can possibly come up as we approach President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday,” Concepcion said.

Also, Concepcion was not keen on the idea of implementing another lockdown, as the country can no longer afford a severe setback to the country’s economy, especially in the fourth quarter which is typically the strongest quarter for the private sector.

Concepcion thus called on everyone to do their patriotic duty and grab the chance to get vaccinated, especially when the country already has an adequate supply of COVID-19 vaccines.