Biz group to HTAC: Expand Covid boosters to workers

WITH around 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccines expiring by end of July, the private sector urges the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) anew to expand the inoculation of second booster shots to private sector employees who are 50 years old and above.

In a statement on Tuesday, members of the private sector led by Go Negosyo founder Jose Maria A. Concepcion III, have called on the HTAC to allow the private sector to inoculate second booster shots as 1,516,040 vaccines are set to expire by the end of July.

“If you look at these expiring vaccines, that’s a lot of money,”

Concepcion said at the Pandesal forum.

The expiring vaccines were acquired by the private sector through the tripartite agreement “A Dose of Hope.” Each Astrazeneca jab is estimated to cost at least $5 each, while Moderna shots were bought for around $27 per dose.

The breakdown of the expiring vaccines in warehouses are: Moderna (887,360) and Astrazeneca (628,680). Under the tripartite agreement, half of the vaccines acquired are shared with the government.

“The private sector has already proven that it is willing to get vaccinated. There is no need for mandates when it comes to the private sector. They don’t want to get sick and use up their sick leaves,” Concepcion stressed.

The Go Negosyo founder has been pleading for second boosters to be used to protect members of the work force who are still not allowed to take second boosters.

While the government is trying to do its best, Concepcion noted that “there is this body that is moving quite slow.” The Go Negosyo founder suggested that the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) should take on the role of the HTAC when it comes to vaccines.

The HTAC, a body tasked to provide guidance to the Department of Health (DOH) on the coverage of health interventions and technologies to be funded by the government, has recommended that only healthcare workers, the immunocompromised and persons above 60 years old can take second booster vaccinations against the Covid-19.

Concepcion stressed anew that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is the most important weapon to sustain economic recovery.

“Where we are concerned, and I think everybody should be concerned, is the economy,” the Go Negosyo founder said, noting that, “The vaccines are our most important weapon here.”

Concepcion said resolving policy issues on second boosters and takeup will help the private sector in its future vaccine procurement.

The Go Negosyo founder cited Australia and Canada’s Ontario province, and the United States, as those the Philippines must follow in administering second boosters. Concepcion added that Australia and Ontario have studied the merits of second booster shots.

However, Concepcion said US health officials together with the US Food and Drug Administration are still in the middle of planning on whether to allow second booster shots for all adults, including even those outside of their previous recommendations, particularly persons 50 years and older, as well as those 12 years old and above who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

“Shouldn’t we follow these countries? The vaccines we are using came from these countries,” he said.

The Go Negosyo founder said the vaccines should be used rather than be left to expire, noting that “many productive members of the work force fall outside of the age limit set by the HTAC” yet, Concepcion said, these employees also have risk factors as they are exposed to the virus when they report for work.

Apart from the goal of using the vaccines which are about to expire on private sector employees who fall outside of the age limit, Concepcion noted that administering second booster shoots will help President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his goal of achieving at least 23 million booster shots within his first 100 days in office.