Australia's medical regulator has provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 12 and 15.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) confirmed its decision in a statement on Friday.
"Provisional approval for use in the 12 to15 years age group has been made following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy, including clinical studies with adolescents 12 to 15 years of age," the statement said.
The vaccine had previously only been provisionally approved for use in Australia for people aged over 16.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will now consider the decision to provide advice on which groups in the age category are prioritised for the rollout of the vaccine.
If ATAGI delivers its approval, children with impaired immune systems or underlying medical conditions are expected to be fast tracked for vaccines.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) decision on Friday.
"The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has thoroughly, and independently, assessed the domestic and international evidence before extending its approval for the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to this age group," he said in a statement.
Mr Hunt said September to early October was the expected timeline for under-40s to receive their first Pfizer jab.
"That is the expectation at the moment. If there were to be a variation, we can bring it forward," he told Channel Seven's Sunrise.
Earlier this week, British authorities approved coronavirus vaccines for use among children with severe disabilities or health conditions.
The UK regulator decided against giving vaccinations to under 18s without underlying health conditions.
The head of the World Health Organization has argued countries that immediately vaccinate healthy children do so at the expense of frontline workers and high-risk groups in other countries.
With AAP
