Almost everyone knows someone with a fear of needles, though most of us never knew there was a ‘big word’ for it.

Thanks to ageing and wellness specialist Dr Denise Eldemire-Shearer and our reporter Mr Romardo Lyons many of us are now learning of trypanophobia. It means extreme fear of hypodermic needles which are used to pierce the skin in administering vaccinations and so forth.

It may seem irrational, but according to Dr Eldemire-Shearer, who has decades of experience in health care, that worry about needles is a big reason some Jamaicans are declining COVID-19 vaccinations.

“I didn’t know so many people were afraid of a needle. It’s not just anti-vaxxers. There are people who are afraid of needles. So we [health-care personnel] hold hands, we rub shoulders, we rub backs… we do everything to get persons to relax,” she said.

It’s clearly one more thing for the mix as Government and community leaders seek to reduce vaccine hesitancy with an eye to herd immunity in the not-too-distant future.

It seems to this newspaper that all of us with a sense of responsibility and a care for those around us should be doing our part in easing vaccine hesitancy.

The long-awaited confirmation that the feared Delta variant of the virus is widespread here and is very likely behind the current alarming surge of positive cases, hospitalisations, and deaths obviously adds urgency. Encouragingly, it would appear that, after a slow start, vaccines are now entering the country in a steady flow.

Beyond sophisticated public relations, ordinary word-of-mouth communication can go a far way in getting the hesitant to vaccinate. After all, people will probably be more easily convinced by their friends and family members than anyone else that, for example, the jab or ‘jook’ from the needle is not painful at all.

“The more the persons who have gotten the vaccine talk, people will realise that the injection itself is not a problem,” says prominent public health specialist Dr Peter Figueroa.

Crucially, people mustn’t feel they are being tricked. So, as suggested by Dr Figueroa, “What we do have to advise… is that after some persons get the vaccine, they do develop a little discomfort in their arm.”

We would add that in some cases there may be slight fever or some other discomfort that’s usually easily dealt with using over-the-counter medication.

We applaud the very public meeting of minds involving Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and his Opposition counterpart Dr Morais Guy. Even with the falling stocks of the two major political parties, as evidenced by the record-low voter turnout in last September’s parliamentary election, they remain major influencers.

Even more so, perhaps, are the Christian Church and its various denominations. It’s no secret that religious beliefs have been highlighted by some as reasons for not taking the vaccine. So yesterday’s show of unity between the health ministry and church leaders was vital. More and more, Jamaicans with the ability to influence others will need to speak with one voice if we are to beat COVID-19.