PARIS: French teenagers aged 12 to 18 will be allowed to get a COVID-19 vaccine injection from June 15, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.

Macron made the announcement while on a visit to the Lot region in southwestern France.

Macron also said that rules on mandatory mask wearing outdoors will be lifted gradually on a regional basis.

The European Commission on Friday authorized Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine for use in children as young as 12, paving the way for a broader roll-out in the bloc after similar clearances in the United States and Canada.

The French health authority will issue its ruling on vaccinating teenagers on Thursday.