Coronavirus: vaccines for US children under 11 likely to be available in November, says Anthony Fauci
- US infectious disease expert Fauci predicted a timetable that could see many children being fully vaccinated before the end of the year
- US Food and Drug Administration officials are reviewing the Pfizer/BioNTech application seeking authorisation of its two-dose vaccine for younger children
Vaccines for children between the ages of five and 11 are likely to be available in the first half of November, top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Sunday, predicting a timetable that could see many children being fully vaccinated before the end of the year.
“If all goes well, and we get the regulatory approval and the recommendation from the CDC, it’s entirely possible if not very likely that vaccines will be available for children from five to 11 within the first week or two of November,” Fauci said in an interview with ABC’s This Week.
US Food and Drug Administration officials are reviewing the Pfizer/BioNTech application seeking authorisation of its two-dose vaccine for younger children, with its panel of outside advisers expected to weigh in on October 26.
The FDA typically follows the advice of its panel but is not required to do so.
Advisers to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will weigh in on recommendations for the vaccine at a meeting on November 2 and November 3, helping to inform a final decision by its director.