‘Needle Phobia’ May Be Keeping Some From Getting Their COVID-19 Vaccine. Here’s How to Cope

Alex Denley, a 23-year-old philosophy doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, doesn't seem like someone who would be vaccine hesitant. They're determined to stop COVID-19 from spreading, and haven't fallen for any vaccine conspiracy theories. However, getting the coronavirus shot was tremendously stressful for Denley. They feared it could trigger a terrible panic attack, leaving them crumpled on the floor, sobbing and shaking in front of a crowd of onlookers.