Health Minister Greg Hunt said medical regulators had granted provisional approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered to younger children for the first time.
It follows similar decisions in the European Union, the United States, Israel and Canada.
Hunt said the vaccination of 2.3 million Australian children in the cohort will start on January 10, subject to approval from the nation's immunisation advisory body.
"It is recommended for children right across Australia," he said of the vaccine.
"It is about keeping our kids safe, keeping our families safe, keeping all Australians safe."
Comment: No it isn't. If it were about safety they would be taking the absolute opposite tack.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulatory authority said children aged five to 11 would receive a smaller vaccine dose than people 12 years old and above.
Agency head John Skerritt said he was confident in both the efficacy and safety of the formulation, adding "it has extensively been clinically tested".
Comment: No it hasn't. It has been minimally tested and the results of those tests are not available to the public. See: Malfeasance behind the FDA Vax OK for children
Almost 93 percent of Australians aged over 16 have now received a first vaccine dose, with 88 percent of the population double-dosed.
Booster shots were authorised in October, with people encouraged to receive their third jab after six months
"The latest New South Wales roadmap to recovery outlines a range of freedoms for fully vaccinated people in the state when 80% of those aged 16 and over are vaccinated.Unvaccinated people will remain restricted, but will have the same freedoms by December 1, when 90% of adults are expected to be vaccinated.
The relaxing of restrictions will occur in three stages, at the 70%, 80% and 90% vaccination mark, with many restrictions dropped by December 1.This includes relaxing the 4 square metre density rule to 2 square metres in most indoor venues; and no indoor mask mandates in most venues except public transport, airports and for front-of-house hospitality staff."
Is it a trap?
Has anyone ever thought that it is the unvaxed that are wanted?
I mean, the others are not to be worried about, they will be recycled and return to 3D. It is the last few, the candidates, that are most valuable, and which need to be trapped in 3D.