There are those who pass out before a blood test, those who start sweating without control, those who suffer from nausea, those who run away. A state of anxiety and agitation that can even lead to the decision not to undergo therapy. And it’s not just the children to be afraid of injections, many adults develop a real phobia at the idea of introducing a needle into their body. And while statistics show that 10-20% of the population suffered from this type of stress before the pandemic, a recent University of Michigan study found that 16% of adults in different countries avoided flu shots this year. precisely because of the fear of the syringe. In Italy the percentage is around 10%.
Covid: the vaccine will be spray
by Valentina Arcovio
The news published on the New York Times, has raised the concern of health workers who are organizing mass vaccinations against Covid 19 and an information campaign has started in the United States to understand the extent of the problem. Mary Rogers, one of the authors of the study, if on the one hand stresses that it is too early to know how many people will also abstain from the Covid-19 vaccine in order not to face the injection, on the other hand it invites us not to underestimate the issue. Because if, as experts say, the fear of the needle tends to decrease with advancing age, the data remains worrying. Why? The peaks of coronavirus infection mainly concern young people, precisely those who suffer from it the most. “It would be really unbelievable if the fear of getting the injection prevented someone from getting vaccinated. We must make everyone understand that there are different techniques to win it ”explained the doctor Nipunie S. Rajapakse, an infectious disease expert at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. And since there is no alternative to an intramuscular injection to get vaccinated, here are some tips.
After the Astra Zeneca case: we are afraid, but vaccines save our lives
by Daniela Minerva
One thing is the insecurities that are part of life, another the phobias. What it concerns the fear of needles is called belenophobia and it is well defined and persistent. “When it gets to the point that all of this is interfering with your health to the point of giving up treatment or undergoing the vaccine, while still fearing contagion, you need to go to a specialist,” he said. Dianne Chambless, a retired professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. As with other types of phobias, you have to deal with your insecurities a little at a time like someone who is afraid of heights and has to look out the window a little at a time. So the days before the vaccine, we try to prepare ourselves by talking with those who can reassure us, sharing the fear.
Notify the nurse
If the fear is so severe that you risk passing out, talk to the nurse first and ask if you can get your dose of the vaccine while lying down. Better to go accompanied by someone who knows this fragility of ours. In the waiting room we try to relax: we think that everything will happen in a few minutes and that it will be painless. Better to divert attention by watching a video, listening to music or practicing deep or meditative breathing techniques. Many people choose not to look directly at the needle. In fact, there is no need to see it.
Let’s focus on the benefits
In the case of the Covid-19 vaccine, let’s focus on the benefits that the vaccine will bring that will allow a return to normal.
.