Covid-19 vaccines for children between 5 and 11 years old in the US could be available in November: Fauci

It is likely that vaccines against Covid-19 for children between 5 and 11 years old are available in the first half of November at USAThe country’s leading infectious disease expert said Sunday, Anthony Fauci.

“If all goes well, and if we get regulatory approval and recommendation from the CDC, it is entirely possible, if not very likely, that vaccines will be available for children ages 5 to 11 within the first week or two of November.” Fauci said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week.”

Officials of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing the application of the pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech to obtain authorization for its 2-dose vaccine for younger children, and its external advisory panel will deliver its recommendation on October 26.

The FDA generally follows the advice of its panel, but is not required to do so.

The advisers of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC will comment on the vaccine recommendations at a meeting on November 2-3, which will help make the final decision on the regulatory process.

The director of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, speaking to Fox News Sunday, also said the agency wanted to act quickly.

“After they (the FDA) review all the scientific data and make a regulatory decision, it will be the CDC’s turn to meet … and if all goes well … we will act quickly,” he said.

“We know how many parents are interested in vaccinating their children between the ages of 5 and 11 and we intend to act as quickly as possible,” he added.

Once authorized, approximately 28 million more children in the United States would be eligible to receive what would be the first Covid-19 vaccine for young children in the United States.

The Pfizer and BioNTech injection is now available for teens ages 12 to 17, and the companies are still studying its role in children under the age of 5.

While children have a lower rate of death from Covid-19, many face long-term illnesses and symptoms that are still being studied. Many adults who have doubted or opposed the Covid-19 vaccine, and even some who have not rejected it, are expected to resist giving the injection to their children.

When asked if schools should require a vaccine for children, Walensky said: “Right now we are in licensing. I think we need to vaccinate children and get approval before we can pass judgment on this issue.”