Next in line for a COVID jab but scared of needles? A doctor explains what to do to overcome trypanophobia
As government’s COVID-19 vaccination program gains momentum, some are extremely scared to get their jab due to their fear of needles.
South Africa aims to administer at least one jab to 35-million people by Christmas.
Doctor Rochelle Lee has given those living with trypanophobia some tips to overcome the fear of needles – even if it's just for a second.
No alternatives to the injection are available at present.
“Lay flat, tilt the chair a bit so that your legs are above your head when receiving the injection, you will not see the needle going in. [The motion] will also get more blood to your brain if the patients’ blood pressure begins to drop,” said Lee.
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Those extremely sensitive to pain can also use several creams and gels available on the market.
“We can also use the body’s own nervous system to divert the attention from the injection. For example, using ice packs so that the patient rather focuses on the cold than the pain.”
South Africans were in stiches after a man was held by nurses when he received a COVID-19 jab.
— K U L A N I (@kulanicool) July 14, 2021