MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (WSIL) -- Some people may be hesitant of the Covid-19 vaccine simply because they are afraid of needles.
Murphysboro family physician, Jeff Ripperda, says being scared of needles is actually more common than you think and you shouldn't be embarrassed about it.
He says if you're nervous about getting a Covid-19 shot, talking to your doctor can provide you some relief.
"Have a talk with your primary care doctor. There are some medications that we can give that can help calm you down enough to give you vaccine. It might not make it feel an entirely comfortable experience, but it should at least calm you down enough to allow you to get the shot, so there are some options," Dr. Ripperda said.
Murphysboro Mayor, Will Stephens, says he's been afraid of needles since he was a child and finally faced his fear and got a Johnson & Johnson shot with the help of Dr. Ripperda.
"I felt like it was something I had to do in my role as mayor and so I worked with Dr. Ripperda and he helped me overcome the anxiety, gave me a prescription to help take the edge off for about an hour, hour and a half and so I got vaccinated. And so I know it's a challenge for a lot of people," he said.
And if you decide to hold out on getting a vaccine, researchers are working to approve a Covid-19 vaccine patch, but Dr. Ripperda says it'll be some time before it's okay to get it.
"Most medications start by being studied in animals to prove that they're safe, so that's a good first step, but we're still several studies from it being safe and effective in humans," he said.
