Dr. Anthony Fauci stated Sunday that it is a good idea to require schoolchildren to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Although it is possible for children to be vaccinated, President Joe Biden's top pandemic advisor told CNNs State of the Union that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Fauci stated that he believes mandating vaccinations for children in schools is a good idea. This isn't a new idea. There are mandates at schools in many locations, especially public schools. These mandates recognize the history of vaccinations for polio and rubella.
He said that this has been a tradition for many decades. This would not be a new requirement for vaccinations to allow children to go to school.
The Pfizer PFE, -1.65%COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children 12 years and older. Moderna MRNA (-4.52%) and Johnson & Johnson JNJ (-0.21%) vaccines are only for people 18 and older. In a separate interview, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former director of Food and Drug Administration, said that approval could be granted for younger children as early as the winter.
Gottlieb stated to CBS News Face the Nation, that Pfizer will be able to file data with the FDA by September. He said that the vaccine will be available in a reasonable time frame, possibly late fall or early winter depending on how long it takes for the FDA to review the application.
Fauci stated that the Biden administration plans to recommend COVID boosters eight-months after having been fully vaccinated. However, they are open to any variation based on data.
Fauci also lamented the new estimate that 100,000 Americans could die of COVID-19 before December.
Fauci stated that the current situation is not only predictable but also preventable. There are approximately 80 million people who are eligible for vaccination in the country, but are not yet vaccinated.
