The FDA says clinical trials are still underway for children under 12, and multiple health experts say they expect authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine for them by the end of next month.

"You could potentially have a vaccine available to children age 5 to 11 by Halloween,” says Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner.

The agency says the doses currently being studied in younger children are not necessarily the same vaccine doses that have been approved for other age groups.

"That is our goal, October,” says Dr. James Versalovic, pathologist-in-chief at Texas Children's Hospital. “We are doing everything we can now to move these trials ahead, and they're moving ahead well."

Once the relevant portion of the trials is complete, the FDA will work with the manufacturers to analyze the data, who will then submit it for emergency use authorization.

The agency will then evaluate the benefits and risks, a process they say could take just a matter of weeks.