Canada on Wednesday approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12 years and up, becoming the first nation to do so.

“This is the first vaccine authorized in Canada for the prevention of COVID-19 in children and marks a significant milestone in Canada’s fight against the pandemic,” Health Canada chief medical advisor Supriya Sharma told a news conference.

Data from clinical trials show the vaccine is as safe for adolescents as it is for adults, she said.