Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will require an injection. For some people, the thought of confronting a needle might be too much to bear, even if there’s a cultural pressure not to talk about it. “We dismiss people’s concerns about needles,” says Anna Taddio, a pharmacy scientist at the University of Toronto, “so it’s not something to talk about or admit publicly.” But about two thirds of kids and a quarter of adults have some kind of reservations about needles. Within that group, another five to 10 percent of people have extreme anxieties and fears.
Though someone might stress about needles while also doubting what’s inside the syringe, fear of the pointy tip alone can dissuade someone from getting themselves or their children crucial shots. At the same time, it’s relatively easy to avoid creating fear in kids and move past minor reservations people might have. “If that’s the one reason you’re not getting vaccinated, we have ways to help you with that,” Taddio says. And if there’s ever a perfect time to put all the needle fear management tools to work, it’s during a vaccine drive crucial to ending a pandemic.
