COVID-19 vaccines will be administered to 12 to 17 year olds and pregnant women starting October 18, which are the final groups on the inoculation timetable.

On Monday, the state vaccine task force released its fourth quarter vaccination plan, which included booster shots for high risk groups, including the elderly and medical workers, and shortening the interval between first and second doses.

The task force seeks to complete shots for 90 percent of the elderly and 80 percent of all adults by the end of October to pave the way for a transition into a system of living with the virus.

Reservations for adolescents and expecting mothers will open early next month. There are some two-point-seven million 12 to 17 year olds and infections have been sharply rising in the age group, with over three-thousand cases in August alone. 

Though the infection rate is relatively low among pregnant women, they are six times more likely to develop severe cases.

Boosters will begin October 25 for priority groups who have been fully vaccinated for at least six months. Those with weak immune systems can receive them after two months.