To address waning vaccine demand and efficacy, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion on Thursday proposed to require booster shots by June.
In a statement, Concepcion said the country had adequate vaccine supply to impose the requirement in two months.
“I understand it will take time for [Filipinos] to get the booster but considering that vaccines are now more accessible, people are free to move around, and we have adequate supply, I think two and a half months, or until June, would be enough time to take the boosters,” Concepcion said.
The Philippines has about 27 million Covid-19 vaccine jabs in stock.
The Go Negosyo founder said booster shots would help fight new Covid-19 variants that might emerge.
“Right now, there is no danger. The danger is in the next semester when the waning immunity might be felt already,” he said.
More than 72 percent of the country’s target population are considered fully vaccinated against Covid-19, but only 12.92 percent have been boosted as of March 22.
The government is aiming to have 70 million Filipinos fully vaccinated before April and 90 million fully vaccinated by the end of June to achieve population protection. John Ezekiel J. Hirro