Some COVID-19 vaccine clinics have recently opened up appointments for teenagers aged 12 to 15 years old. This is part of the government’s mandate of inoculating as many individuals as possible to establish immunity against COVID-19. However, these teenagers have a hard time getting needles in their arms because they are afraid. Thus, healthcare professionals sought the help of dogs to help them.
One of the clinics that use a dog to ease the anxiety of their teenage patient is a clinic located in Newburyport, Massachusetts. The dog’s name is Dice, and the service dog offers her services for anxious kids.
For many teenagers, the dog’s presence is enough to calm their nerves. Some of these patients pet Dice all they wanted to calm them down. Some of the patients even hugged the dog as they feel safe with her.
One of the patients who felt anxious about the vaccination was Nathalia Cintron, and she shared how Dice helped overcome her fear. In an interview, the 16-year-old shared that her first shot became challenging. As such, she did not consider getting the vaccination because she was afraid.
However, when Nathalia learned about Dice’s presence, she had a change of heart. The teenager admitted that she does not like needles, so this was the source of her anxiety. But with Dice’s presence, the teenager knows she can pull it off.
True enough, with Dice by Nathalia’s side, the kid completed her vaccination at peace. During the second shot, it was easier for Nathalia to receive the vaccine as she was more relaxed this time.
With this success story, Pam Shedd mentioned how proud she is of her Dice. For Pam, the service dog offered help to young people overcome their fear of vaccination. Pam vowed that she would continue allowing Dice to be part of this initiative until everyone receives vaccines.
Credits to Bellingham Herald.
