Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday chaired a high-level review meeting with the North East and Hill States and UTs, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand.<br />''<br />''The Health Secretary underlined that the States and UTs need to quickly saturate the first dose coverage among the 18 population category. He said, states must also focus on the 60 plus age group as the coverage of both the doses in this category is unsatisfactory in Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya. Mr Bhushan said, the vulnerability of this age group to COVID-19 makes this exercise of prime importance.<br />''<br />''The attention of the States was brought to the fact that the administration of the first dose has progressively outpaced the administration of second dose. It was suggested that States earmark doses, earmark days and target the completion of the exercise for these beneficiaries.<br />''<br />''The 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 was also discussed.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #000000;">States and UTs 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 per cent, data on electronic vaccine intelligence network eVIN on a daily basis, check supply of other denomination syringes as per availability for COVID vaccination.</span><br />