COLOMBO (Sri Lanka) -- Sri Lanka announced Saturday plans to give booster shots to front-line workers, followed by elderly citizens as it tries to ease COVID-19 restrictions.

Channa Jayasumana (state minister of pharmaceutical supply, regulation and production) announced that workers in the tourism, health and security sectors will begin receiving a third dose starting Nov. 1.

He said that the Pfizer booster shots would then be available to those over 60 years.

59% of the 22million population has been vaccinated so far. The Health Ministry anticipates that the rate will rise to 70% in three weeks.

This booster rollout is in advance of plans by the government to lift long-standing travel restrictions between provincialities on Nov. 1. It was also announced by the government that trains that have been stopped for almost two months will resume service next week.

On Oct. 1, Sri Lanka lifted a six week lockdown and life has started returning to normal. Cinemas, restaurants, and wedding parties have reopened since COVID-19 daily case numbers fell to less than 1,000 and there were fewer than 50 deaths.

However, the ban on public gatherings and some restrictions on public transport continue.