By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Vaccines will be readily available for children between 5 and 11, according to Anthony Fauci, a top U.S. infectious diseases expert. He predicted that many children could get fully vaccinated by the beginning of November.

Fauci spoke to ABC’s This Week, saying that if everything goes smoothly and the CDC recommends, it is entirely possible, if not probable, that vaccines for children between 5 and 11 years old will be available in the first week or so of November.

Officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are currently reviewing Pfizer/BioNTech’s application for authorization of their 2-dose vaccine to younger children. The panel of advisers will weigh in on October 26.

Although the FDA follows most of its panels’ advice, it is not required.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold two meetings on November 2 and 3, where advisors to the CDC will discuss recommendations for vaccines. This meeting will help to guide the final decision of its director.

Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC, stated at Fox News Sunday that she also wanted the agency to respond quickly.

“After they (FDA), are able review all the science, conduct regulatory action and the CDC meet, and if everything goes smoothly… then we will take swift actions,” she stated.

She said, “We are aware of how many parents want their children to be vaccinated between the ages 5 and 11. We will act quickly.”

The first U.S. COVID-19 vaccination for children younger than 5 years old would become available once it is approved. This would mean that approximately 28 million more American kids would have access to the vaccine. Pfizer/BioNTech shots are available for those between 12 and 17, while companies continue to study it for younger children.

Although children are more likely to be killed by COVID-19 than their parents, there is still much that can be done. It is expected that many adults, including those who were opposed or hesitant to COVID-19, will resist the chance of their children getting the vaccine.

Walensky responded to a question about whether schools need to mandate vaccines for children: “Right at this point we are at authorization. There are discussions going on about authorisation. Before we make any judgments, I believe we have to first get the authorization in place to get vaccines to children.