Australian children aged between 5 and 11 could be eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The first clinical trials have shown the Pfizer vaccine to be effective in that age group and the company is currently seeking approval in the US.

While the Therapeutic Goods Administration is yet to receive an application for vaccines to be used in that younger bracket it is only a matter of time before an application is made.

Nigel McMillan, an expert in infectious diseases and immunology at Griffith University, said the next step is applying to the TGA for approval.

He said Pfizer wasn’t the only vaccine manufacturer conducting trials on children.

“Those sorts of trials are going on elsewhere for sure, but this is the first cab off the rank,” he told Scott Emerson.

“They are also doing trials for children as young as 6 months, and 5 as well.”

He predicted it would be “some time next year” that children as young as 6 months could be vaccinated against COVID.

Press PLAY below to hear more about the process of getting approval in Australia

Image: Getty