The news comes a week after the EU medicines regulator EMA took the same step.
AIFA said in a statement that the data available “demonstrates a high level of efficacy and there are currently no warning signs in terms of safety”, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
The approvals come as Europe emerges as the epicentre of the latest phase in the coronavirus pandemic, accounting for about half of worldwide cases and deaths in recent weeks.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza, speaking during the recent unveiling of Italy’s “super green pass” rules, said that all going to plan Italy should receive the vaccine doses for children towards the end of December.
News of the all-clear from AIFA came the same day that Italy expanded its COVID-19 vaccination campaign to make the third dose, or booster shot, available to everyone over the age of 18.
The vaccine has been approved for EU use in teenagers between 12 and 17 years old since May, with the same dosage as for adults.
Inoculating children and teenagers, who can unwittingly transmit COVID-19 to others, is considered by health authorities to be a crucial step towards taming the pandemic.
With infections on the rise in Italy, the government last week came down on people unwilling to get vaccinated, sharply restricting access to an array of services and making vaccines mandatory for a wider group of public sector workers.
Italy reported 103 coronavirus-related deaths on Wednesday, the first daily death toll of more than 100 since June 8.
The country has registered 133,931 COVID deaths since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest tally in Europe after Britain and the ninth-highest in the world.
It has reported 5.04 million cases to date.
