Raleigh pediatrician weighs in on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine findings

Dr. R Frerichs says he has patients whose parents are eager to have their children vaccinated and are just waiting for approval to do so.

Posted 12:33 a.m. Oct 23, 2021 — Updated 3:53 p.m. Oct 28, 2021

Chris Lovingood

, WRAL reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — There's lots of discussion among parents and medical experts about children and the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Dr. R Frerichs is seeing many patients whose parents are eager to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19. They're just waiting for approval to do so.

Many doctors hear questions from patients about COVID-19, but Frerichs, a pediatrician with North Raleigh Pediatric Group, was adamant that many of his clients are well-informed on the research and he receives very little pushback against the vaccine.

Pfizer says its vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in children ages 5 to 11, according to details of a study that was released Friday. The FDA will debate the findings from Pfizer next week. The shots could begin in early November, with the first children in line fully protected by Christmas, if regulators give full approval.

Frerichs points anyone uncertain to CDC information.

"We have a group that really wants it -- it's standing by waiting for the vaccine to be approved and then we'll start making appointments for them to come in." said Frerichs. "We're very lucky in north Raleigh to have really highly-educated people. We've got people who've done some of the primary research or even involved in the vaccine trials for the children."

Ted Enarson wants his son, who is immunocompromised, vaccinated. However, his son is four years old, just shy of that 5 to 11 age group.

"Our son is actually immunocompromised, so we're very eager for the vaccine to become available for him," said Enarson, who lives in Raleigh.

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