Concepcion receives AstraZeneca jab, hopes FDA reverses suspension

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion received the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab and hoped the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would reverse its move to suspend the use of the vaccine for those aged below 60 to allow more economic frontliners to get inoculated.

Concepcion received the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Pasig City last April 13, as part of priority group A3 or individuals with comorbidities.

“I wanted to take Astra since I am leading the Dose of Hope program of Go Negosyo which is the first private sector group that started all this awareness in vaccines and brought private sector to support government,” Concepcion said.

“I believe this is the UK strain that could be affecting us and AstraZeneca will give protection,” he added.

Both the private sector and local government units (LGUs) purchased AstraZeneca vaccines through Go Negosyo’s A Dose of Hope initiative.

But the FDA and Department of Health (DOH) temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines on individuals below 60 after European drug regulators found a link between the shot and rare cases of blood clotting with low platelet count.

Concepcion hopes health authorities would reverse the decision so that more economic frontliners can get the jabs.

“As FDA released that memo which I find too strong, this has brought down the confidence in vaccines and particularly AstraZeneca. I wanted to show them that it is safe,” Concepcion said.

The first batch of orders from AstraZeneca, around 2.6 million doses, may arrive by the first week of June, while 14.4 million doses intended for donor companies and other LGUs will arrive in July.