THE first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines is set to arrive in May and not in July as what presidential spokesperson Harry Roque hinted earlier.
No less than presidential adviser on entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion made the confirmation on AstraZeneca’s availability in the country. “The succeeding batches will move towards July, August so hopefully later part of the 2nd quarter and the bulk of them would be in the 3rd quarter,” Concepcion said in a television interview.
The Philippines, which has secured 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine so far, has seen a long list of local government units that prefer the brand with an efficacy rate of a little more than 90 percent. The volume of secured AstraZeneca vaccines is expected to benefit 8.5 million Filipinos.
Aside from rank-and-file employees, contractual workers and supervisors, managers and CEOs should also be inoculated to boost vaccine confidence, the founder of GoNegosyo added.
“If we don’t vaccinate our key executives and even myself, the survey shows that the take-up of the vaccines are quite low so we really have to show that these vaccines are safe,” he said.
“Show it to the people and hopefully the President will take it and in full view of the public that these vaccines are safe, that what we’re buying is safe for the Filipino people.”
Concepcion also mentioned business tycoon Enrique Razon as having made a commitment to shoulder the transportation of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which needs to be stored at -25 degrees Celsius.
Terms sheets have been signed with Moderna, AstraZeneca and Novavax drug makers, according to Malacañang.
“Ricky Razon has his efforts in bringing Moderna with the government as well, which is more challenging to bring with -25 degrees (Celsius) and that’s why he was telling me he’s ensuring that he will handle the transportation at no cost to the government,” Concepcion said.
Photo credit: Joey Concepcion Twitter page (@joeyconofficial)