The Ontario government is expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine to children aged five to 11.

The province says kids in that age group will be eligible for a bivalent dose starting Dec. 21.

The announcement comes after Health Canada authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster for kids five to 11 last week.

Public Health Ontario data shows 40 per cent of kids aged five to 11 have completed a primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The province is recommending kids five and older get a booster if it's been six months since their last dose, or three months for those at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones says that as the weather gets colder and people gather for the holidays, vaccinations are still the best protection against serious impacts of COVID-19 and the flu.