It is technically called 'belonephobia', although many people speak universally of 'agophobia' or more simply fear of needles.

It is an underestimated problem that doctors and nurses have always had to deal with, and according to data collected before the pandemic, it affects 10-20% of the world's population. One more problem that must be addressed today, during the largest vaccination campaign ever against Covid-19 pneumonia with figures that according to the University of Michigan are even more worrying, based on an estimate of more than 16% of adults in several countries who have refused the flu vaccination this year precisely because of fear of the needle.

The news, published only a few weeks ago in the 'New York Times', has unleashed an information campaign to understand the true extent of the problem. Mary Rogers, one of the authors of the study, points out that it is still too early to estimate how much of the actual percentage of Covid-19 vaccine rejecters is due to needle phobia. At the same time, however, it emphasises that the issue mainly concerns young people, who are also the most exposed to the risk of infection.

"My heart was beating like crazy. My mind told me: "Calm down, everything will be fine", but also: "It's terrifying, it will really hurt you". "Then" You don't know this person, so you can "Don't trust her". I was thinking about how to avoid it.

Raelene Goody, a 31-year-old woman, recently interviewed by the BBC - (link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55175483) on the problem, with a cystic fibrosis pathology, a hereditary condition that causes lung infections and food digestion problems, requires regular injections, including an annual flu vaccine. But from the age of four until late adolescence, she suffered from severe needle phobia that left her "shaker" and often meant that she needed to be sedated.

Doctors and health professionals continue to recommend protocols, action lists and good practises to prepare the injection or to support people during the injection to overcome fear. But still few of them point to the real solution: a needle-free injection system that is safe, easy to use and certified as Comfort-in.