By Danielle Kutchel
No one really likes getting needles, but for some, needle phobia can be debilitating.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage this while getting your Covid-19 vaccine.
Dr Lauren Hansen recently discovered this when taking her son, Jem Wills, to get his first dose.
She said Jem, who is also neurodivergent, needed no convincing about getting the vaccine and was “very committed” to the idea – but also very nervous, owing to his phobia.
She had seen on Twitter that some vaccination centres in Canberra had special rooms for those with phobias or different needs to get their shots, but had been unable to find anything similar in Victoria.
Dr Hansen said she booked in her son to the Monash Health-run vaccination hub at Cranbourne Turf Club – where she had received her doses – in the hopes of talking him through the process.
She and Jem developed a plan to help get him through: he brought sensory items with him to help calm his stress, and they bought numbing cream at the chemist to dull the sensation of the needle.
Once at the centre, Dr Hansen mentioned to the nurse that Jem had a needle phobia – and an attendant walking past happened to overhear.
He offered them a separate room that’s equipped with a VR headset and a bed, to give Jem a bit more privacy during his vaccination.
Dr Hansen said it was a lifesaver.
“That was really helpful…having a bit more space and time and not feeling rushed,” she explained.
The nurse was “like a ninja”, and the vaccine was coursing through Jem’s veins before he or his mother had noticed the needle.
“He was so proud of himself!” she said.
She said she wanted to let others know that there are facilities available to help smooth the process of getting the Covid-19 vaccine – whether they have a needle phobia, are prone to fainting or are neurodivergent.
“When you check in, ask for that private room or area,” she said.
“The vaccination centres can be overwhelming for the neurodivergent, especially since we’ve been in lockdown and we’re not used to being around people like we were before.”
She believes it could also be helpful for vaccination centres to provide video walk-throughs online of the vaccination process, to help calm people’s nerves and set them at ease.
“So much of it is knowing what to expect. I would like to know what to expect when I go somewhere,” she explained.
Dr Hansen said she was extremely grateful to the team at Monash Health for helping calm Jem’s nerves.
“Everyone was so helpful and happy. We definitely felt well-cared for,” she said.
