Concepcion pushes ‘vaccine passes’

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion 3rd on Saturday pushed for the use of “vaccine passes” that would help guard against a surge in infections and boost struggling businesses to recover from the fallout of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Concepcion, also the founder of Go Negosyo, said vaccine passes or proof of vaccination could be considered once areas, like the so-called NCR Plus area (National Capital Region

or Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal), reach herd immunity, which could be “possible by the end of the year” as more vaccines were delivered to the country and administered to people.

“For now, we need to plan for what happens in the new normal,” Concepcion said in a statement.

“Will we still be restricting the number of people going into shops even though most of us have already been vaccinated? If we plan to loosen restrictions, how will we determine the right capacity? We will need an entirely new strategy once we reach herd immunity,” he added.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said while the government needs to maintain the balance between health and the economy, there is still little evidence to support this recommendation.

Citing “concrete evidence,” Vergeire said even fully-vaccinated people can still be infected with Covid-19.

Speaking in Filipino and English, Vergeire said the Department of Health (DoH) maintains its position that it won’t recommend the removal of masks even if people have been vaccinated and would agree once there is “enough evidence” of safety.

As of Friday, nearly 3 million vaccines have been rolled out, 540,000 of which were second doses.

Booster shots

Meanwhile, the DoH and the Department of Science and Technology are considering the conduct of clinical trials on the use of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as booster shots for Covid-19 even for those who received jabs of different brands.

Vergeire told The Manila Times in a text message on Saturday that there was a “proposal being finalized” between the agencies and the Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP).

Dr. Nina Gloriani, chairman of the VEP, confirmed this to The Manila Times, adding that it was not limited to Pfizer and Moderna “but all possible booster shots.”

Global health experts had sounded the alarm over the need for “third doses” or booster shots.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd admitted that there was “no sufficient data” on how long the existing vaccines can provide protection against Covid-19.

At the same time, Vergeire assured the public that all vaccines will be used before their expiry dates lapse and called on local government officials to use separate cold storage freezers amid reports that some local governments were using those used by food establishments.

The concern stemmed from the unused 2 million AstraZeneca Vaxzevria

vaccines that were given under the World Health Organization (WHO)led Covax Facility. Of the total, 1.5 million would expire by the end of June and 500,000 in July.

Vergeire also said the Sputnik V doses will expire six months after the date of delivery while the Cominarty (tozinameran) vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech will expire on Aug. 31, 2021.

Return to new normal

Concepcion said vaccine passes “are one of the solutions being offered as a way to ensure that a return to the new normal will not see the country backsliding into a surge in Covid-19 cases.”

He also said it was also seen “as a chance for businesses to recover while still keeping to health and safety measures.”

“By letting this portion of the population travel, dine in restaurants, or visit gyms, they can help businesses get back on their feet while we wait for everyone to get vaccinated,” he said.

Concepcion noted that businesses, like restaurants, could safely increase operating capacities by up to “80 percent” and “diners, travelers, shoppers, even the cashiers and waiters can be confident that they are around other vaccinated people.”

“These can also boost domestic tourism because the vaccinated do not need to undergo PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests,” he added.

Concepcion also said businesses that operate in enclosed spaces, such as spas, grooming salons, health clubs, airlines, public transportation, shopping malls, even museums and performance venues, and especially restaurants, could safely resume operations.

“What is clear is that we cannot apply the same 10 percent-, 50 percentcapacity requirements that were used when much of the population has not been vaccinated. That’s not the way to move forward,” he said.

On the issue of data privacy, Concepcion said existing technologies like blockchain could help safeguard the integrity of vaccine passes.

He, however, said that even with vaccine passes, people must still observe standard health practices.

“We certainly do not want to curtail the rights of people who choose not to take the vaccine, but we must also consider the safety of those who have chosen to protect themselves and those around them,” Concepcion said.

Not mandatory

Vergeire maintained that Covid-19 vaccinations will remain voluntary and will not be part of preemployment requirements.

She said, however, that everyone has a moral obligation to be vaccinated for protection against the virus.