Fauci Answers Your Questions

When will a vaccine for those under age 12 be approved?

Clinical studies have been going on for quite a while.The Pfizer data will probably be released some time at the end of September, the beginning of October.

If the Food and Drug Administration deems that this is an emergency situation for children, the Emergency Use Authorization could come some few weeks or so following the application to the F.D.A. That means, at least for Pfizer, it could be towards the end of the fall, the beginning of the winter.

What’s the likelihood that a healthy child who comes down with Covid will need to be hospitalized?

Obviously, it’s less likely for a completely healthy child to require hospitalization compared to a child that has an underlying condition. But there is no doubt when you just survey the pediatric hospitals anywhere, particularly in high volume of infection areas, that there are plenty of normal children who actually wind up in the hospital. But clearly, it’s much more likely for a child with an underlying condition.

What are some simple things schools can do to mitigate the risk of Covid?

The first and foremost is you want to surround children with people who are vaccinated. That’s teachers, personnel in the school, children who are old enough to get vaccinated.

Next, we need a mask mandate in the schools similar to what the C.D.C. recommends. And then there are other things: testing, improved ventilation. There’s a whole variety of things that the C.D.C. refers to as the layered approach to preventing infections in our school system.