The European Union’s drug watchdog on Friday approved the Pfizer/BioNTech Coronavirus jab for 12 to 15-year-olds, the first vaccine to get the green light for children in the bloc. The vaccine was “well tolerated” in adolescents and there were no “major concerns” in terms of side effects, the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency said.

The move will be a further boost for Europe’s vaccination programme, with Germany saying it will start giving the jab to children over the age of 12 from next month. The United States and Canada have already authorised Pfizer for adolescents.