The Centre has asked all states in the Northeast to quickly saturate the first dose coverage among the 18+ population.
In a high level review meeting held with the Northeast and hill states today, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told the states to saturate the first dose coverage among the 18+ age group with the first dose and focus on the 60+ age group and administer the second dose to those eligible.
Bhushan pointed out that the coverage of both the doses in the 60+ category is unsatisfactory in Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya. The vulnerability of this age group to COVID-19 makes this exercise of prime importance.
He suggested that states earmark doses and days and target the completion of the exercise for these beneficiaries.
At the meeting, details of State/UT-wise balance stock of 0.5 ml Syringes, Vaccination Coverage among Special Groups (Transgender Persons, Persons with Disabilities, PWI and Prisoners), COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among women particularly pregnant and lactating women were also discussed.
The centre further advised states to closely monitor the stock from State Vaccine Stores to Cold Chain Point, check rational distribution and restrict vaccine wastage to below 2 per cent update data on eVIN (electronic vaccine intelligence network) on a daily basis, check supply of other denomination syringes as per availability (0.5 ml/ 1ml/ 2 ml/ 3ml Auto Disable/Re-use Prevention Syringes (RUP)/Disposable) for COVID vaccination.
