How can small businesses access COVID-19 vaccines?

Large corporations are more likely to have easy access to COVID-19 vaccines. But what about small enterprises?

In a Laging Handa briefing on Friday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the National Task Force Against COVID-19 requested that the agency consolidate vaccine orders from small businesses. Lopez assured small-scale businesses that they too will have access to the vaccine.

“We are talking to different groups, those who have the intention to have an allocation and also buy the vaccine, to consolidate (and) combine the requirements and volumes to be included in the order of Secretary Carlito Galvez with the vaccine manufacturers,” said Lopez.

More than 300 companies have signed a deal with pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca to procure COVID-19 vaccines for donation, along with local government units that will procure 17 million doses of the product. Last year, the private sector donated 2.6 million doses of vaccines from AstraZeneca. 

Lopez however reminded the public that the standard protocols are still the first line of defense. 

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