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Biz groups back 'booster cards' to replace vax cards by June: Palace adviser

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A man gets vaccinated inside the Recto Station of the LRT-2 in Manila on February 22, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/04/06/vax.jpg"/><figcaption>A man gets vaccinated inside the Recto Station of the LRT-2 in Manila on February 22, 2022.<em> George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Some of the Philippines’ largest business groups are backing a proposal to replace vaccination cards with “booster cards” as a requirement by June, a palace adviser said on Wednesday. </p><p>Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion earlier proposed the scheme citing the low uptake in COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. </p><p>More than 65 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against the disease, but only 12 million have received their boosters according to the Department of Health. </p><p>Meanwhile, 27 million vaccine doses are set to <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/03/22/27-million-covid-vaccine-doses-to-expire-in-july-ofcl">expire</a> by July if left unused.</p><p>Among the groups that support the booster card scheme are the Philippine Retailers Association, Makati Business Club, Financial Executives Institute, American Chamber of Commerce, European Chamber of Commerce, as well as groups representing salon/spa owners, amusement park owners, and concert venues/organizers, Concepcion said. </p><p>The palace adviser earlier warned that another COVID surge may happen in the second half of 2022 if not enough people get their booster shots. </p><p>“Right now there is no danger. The danger is in the next semester when the waning immunity might be felt already. And this is not counting the possibility that new variants might emerge,” he said. </p><p>He said another surge may affect the country’s economic recovery.</p><p>“We in the business community know only too well how important it is to keep the economy open, not just for our own businesses but for the entire economy,” he said. </p><p>Philippine government debt hit P12 trillion this year as the government continued to borrow heavily to fund its pandemic response, including the purchase of vaccines. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/06/22/covid-19-vaccine-wastage-in-ph-at-2-percent">COVID-19 vaccine wastage in PH at 2 percent</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/05/22/iatf-awaits-solid-recommendation-on-vax-card-expiry">COVID-19 task force awaits &#x27;solid recommendation&#x27; on expiry of vaccine cards</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1987200" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion earlier proposed the scheme citing the low uptake in COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. 