NEW DELHI: The Centre on Saturday nudged Northeastern and hill states, where the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine is being prioritised over the second, to ensure full coverage of the 60-plus population, most vulnerable to severe coronavirus infection. In a review meeting of vaccination in the Northeastern states, apart from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Uttarakhand, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the states need to quickly saturate the first dose coverage among the 18-plus category.
However, he insisted, the states also must also focus on the 60-plus group as the coverage of both doses in this category is unsatisfactory in Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
The vulnerability of this age group makes this exercise of prime importance, underlined Bhushan. The states were also apprised that the administration of the first dose has progressively outpaced the administration of second dose and therefore it may be necessary to earmark dose and days and set a target for the completion of the exercise for the beneficiaries due for second doses.
The Centre also took stock of the state-wise balance stock of 0.5 ml syringes used in administering the jabs and vaccination coverage among special groups such as transgenders, persons with disabilities and prisoners apart from coverage among women particularly pregnant and lactating women was also discussed.
States were advised to closely monitor the stock from state vaccine stores to cold chain point, check rational distribution and restrict vaccine wastage to below 2%, update data on electronic vaccine intelligence network on a daily basis apart from other essential supplies necessary for inoculations.
OVER 66 CR DOSES SUPPLIED
More than 66.07 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have so far been provided to states by the Centre for free and under the direct state procurement category, health ministry said on Saturday