The Latest: Sri Lanka begins vaccinating 18-19 age group

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka is vaccinating 18- and 19-year-olds against the coronavirus as it expands the shots to students.

After beginning with older people, Sri Lanka has now vaccinated 57% of its 22 million population.

Vaccinations with the Pfizer shot began Friday for about 24,000 people in the 18-19 age group in the capital Colombo and suburbs. Officials say inoculations in Colombo will be completed within 21 days and they'll start giving doses in other parts of the country next week.

Sri Lanka lifted a six-week lockdown on Oct. 1 after COVID-19 cases and deaths declined. But schools remain closed, unessential trips outside the home are restricted, public gatherings are banned and there are restrictions on transport.

At the peak, Sri Lanka was counting 3,000 daily infections and more than 200 deaths. Daily cases are now below 1,000 and deaths under 100.

The Indian Ocean island nation has reported more than 529,000 cases and 13,408 deaths.

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— See all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

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