They have recommended the youngsters should be offered one dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Some other countries have been vaccinating younger teenagers for some time - but approaches do differ.

In June Germany's scientific advisers recommended the vaccine should only be offered to children aged 12 to 15 with underlying health conditions.

In Sweden children aged 12 to 15 are only eligible for a vaccine if they have lung disease, severe asthma or another high-risk medical condition.

In Norway, not part of the EU, the vaccine rollout was recently extended to children aged 12 to 15, but only a first dose will be offered, with a decision on a second dose to be made later.

In May, US and Canadian regulators were the first to approve the Pfizer jab for use in children from 12 years and older.

By the end of July, 42% of 12 to 17-year-olds had received their first dose and 32% their second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna shots.

Pfizer has also started testing its Covid vaccine on younger children.

The first results, in those between five and 11 years old, are expected in September with data for infants aged six months to four years old likely to follow by the end of the year.

In June, China began to allow some children from three to 17 years old to be offered shots of a vaccine produced by drug-maker Sinovac, making it the first country to approve a jab for such a young age group.

In Chile, it has already been approved for use in children from six years old, while the company has recently started clinical trials to test its vaccine on children in South Africa aged from six months to 17 years old.

In August, the country's drug regulator granted emergency use for a new vaccine developed by local drug firm Zydus Cadila in all those aged 12 years and over, the first approval to cover children.

The firm has said it soon hopes to start trials in younger children aged two and over.