Italy is to begin offering covid vaccines to children aged 5-11 from 16 December, with reservations already open in most regions around the country. The moves comes two weeks after Italy's medicines agency AIFA approved the Comirnaty vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, following the green light from EU medicines regulator EMA.

AIFA recommends that children get two doses of 10 micrograms, with three weeks in between vaccinations. Adult doses contain 30 micrograms. The Lazio region around Rome is starting a day early than the rest of Italy with a "Vax Open Day" on 15 December, offering the vaccine to kids at 14 hubs including the Explora Children's Museum in the capital.