The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given the green light to the use of BioNTech and Pfizer's corona vaccine in children aged five to eleven.
The responsible EMA committee recommended an extension of the approval on Thursday.
The final decision has yet to be made by the European Commission.
But this is a matter of form.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn announced on Monday that the entire EU would receive delivery of the children's vaccine on December 20, and that Germany would then receive 2.4 million doses in one fell swoop.
In Germany, the Standing Vaccination Commission STIKO wants to make its recommendation on corona vaccination for children from five to eleven years before the end of the year.
The chairman of STIKO, Thomas Mertens, can understand in his own words if parents are skeptical about vaccinating their children.
"I can understand that very well, and it basically corresponds to the problem that the STIKO is facing with its recommendation - namely weighing up the benefits and possible" residual risks "for children in this age group," said Mertens of the Schwäbische Zeitung zur Vaccination of children aged five to eleven.
In an approval study by BioNTech / Pfizer, no serious vaccine reactions or side effects were documented, said Mertens.
After a relatively short observation period, the effectiveness of the vaccine corresponds roughly to that of adults in the children.
However, the figures from the current studies are not sufficient to rule out rare side effects.
You have to include the results of previous studies and application data.
Preparing the decision on a recommendation, said Mertens.