The Provincial Health Officer says a vaccine against COVID-19 could be approved for kids as young as five by the end of this year.

Speaking to reporters on Friday morning, Dr. Bonnie Henry says Pfizer still needs to send in data trials to Health Canada, which would take several weeks to review.

“It may be as early as the end of October, is what we’re hearing, but it may take more time than that. But I’m really hopeful we will have vaccination for the 5-11 age group anyway before the end of this calendar year, and hopefully as early as the end of October.”

Henry says it appears the vaccine for kids aged five-to-11 would be a smaller dose, of 10 micrograms of the antigen instead of 30 mcg for those aged 12 and older.

And she says it would likely be fridge-stable, which she called “great news” for distribution should it be approved.

While the company hasn’t formally approached Health Canada yet, Pfizer has submitted trial data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has asked for usage to be approved for American children as young as five.