Fear of needles? Here’s how to overcome it before getting a coronavirus vaccine. - Tampa Bay Times

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For many years, Martinique Moron had a fear of needles. But once the 32-year-old got a job that required her to be vaccinated against the flu each year, she had to adapt.

“I found that talking through it usually helps,” said Moron, who works as a therapist and social worker at LoveHugh LLC in St. Petersburg.

With daily headlines sharing the news about coronavirus vaccines being delivered and administered to thousands of patients in Florida and around the world right now, it could make someone who has a fear of needles a little on edge.

None of her Moron’s patients have expressed a fear of needles when discussing the coronavirus vaccines during therapy. Still, trypanophobia — an intense fear of needles — is common and may be a barrier to some who would otherwise get vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to study from the University of Michigan, roughly 16 percent of adult patients avoided the flu vaccine because of a fear of needles. Nearly 27 percent of hospital employees avoided it for the same reason. About 18 percent of nursing home employees chose not to get vaccinated because of this fear.

For patients with trypanophobia, healthcare workers recommend a variety of tips, from researching the vaccine needles to communicating with the medical professionals who will be administering the shot.

Moron said the fear of needles is typically “a form of anxiety.” Patients should try to investigate the deeper roots of this fear in order to understand and overcome it. Moron also recommended speaking with a physician who can walk the patient through the vaccination process and discuss what to expect.

Practicing one’s reaction to the injection can help, Moron said, as well focusing on the long-term benefits one gets in exchange for the short term pain caused by a needle.

“The long-term goal is that you got the vaccine,” Moron said.

Two vaccines have received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are being administered in Florida. Pfizer-BioNTech’s drug trial of 38,000 volunteers found that 95 percent of those who received the vaccine generated enough antibodies to protect them from coronavirus within seven days of receiving their second dose. Moderna’s vaccine was found to be 94 percent effective against coronavirus starting two weeks after the second injection.

Carleah East, a clinical psychotherapist and CEO of S.M.I.L.E. Psychology in St. Petersburg, said social and cultural attitudes toward needles can contribute to the fear.

“You may have had a bad experience,” she said. Some people may have had an allergic reaction or an unpleasant interaction with a health care worker that makes them wary of vaccinations, East said.

She recommended watching videos of injections to help overcome the fear. She also suggested comparing the short pain of a vaccination to other day-to-day pains — such as back pain, muscle spasms and cramps — in order to put things in perspective.

Carleah East, a clinical psychotherapist and CEO of S.M.I.L.E. Psychology in St. Petersburg, recommends preparing in advance of a vaccine if you have a fear of needles and comparing the pain level of an injection to other day-to-day pains. [ Courtesy of Ada De Jesus ]

Before getting vaccinated, East also suggested thinking about one’s personal reaction to shots: someone who has a history of fainting should try to tense up during the vaccine, while someone who tenses up during vaccines should practice breathing strategies to help them relax. Looking away from the needle and counting down to the injection can also help, she said.

Some of the fear of needles may come from feeling powerless, but patients do have control in deciding to take a vaccine, East said.

“In actuality you are making the choice,” she said.

For patients who have concerns about the safety of the coronavirus vaccines, East suggests researching them and the companies that make them, so they can be fully informed.

As a nurse practitioner with BayCare, Michele Smith has been involved in administering the Moderna vaccine in the Tampa Bay area. Smith said patients should talk to their doctor if have a specific need, like if they’re squeamish at the sight of blood or prefer to lie down when getting an injection.

“It’s important for them to communicate that,” she said.

When Smith administers a vaccine, she tries to put the patient at ease by talking with them beforehand and preparing the injection out of their sight.

“It’s over before they have much time to think about it,” she said.

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Fear of needles? Here’s how to overcome it before getting a coronavirus vaccine. - Tampa Bay Times
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