DS has appt for Covid jab today but refusing to go

[MrsWorriedMother]

DS17 has a massive needle phobia. He is refusing the Covid jab. He is insisting it is not because of phobia but I know it is.

Aibu to say if he doesn't get jabbed he doesn't go out socialising in big groups and on trains etc.

I have tried so hard to get him to see someone about his phobia but he won't even talk about it.

Aibu to say if he doesn't get jabbed he doesn't go out socialising in big groups and on trains etc.

Yes, personally I think that would be unreasonable of you. It also sounds like things that would be impossible for you to control anyway unless you ban him leaving the house, especially if he’s still in school with large groups of people every day.

Have you tried bribery?

He's 17.
It's unreasonable to try to exert control over him like that.

He's old enough to decide for himself.

He’s 17, he gets to make the choice now.

Would he let you go with him? Can you suggest he just goes there and sees how he feels. Then just stays in the queue for a while and so on.

You could mention it to reception and they naught take him straight in or give him somewhere quiet to wait.

I have a needle phobic DC who finally got a vaccine recently. And another twat of a DC who thinks it's all a made up scam and can't be bothered to either test or get a jab and is living life like there is no pandemic. We've tried everything from bribery to no wifi and so far nothing has worked. I have no solution but lots of sympathy.

Once I got needle phobic DC to the vaccine centre (with Emla cream from the pharmacist on the right arm 2 hours before) the people there were fantastic and there was a special quiet place with a bed and we got a very calm sympathic person who didn't even get the syringe out until she had consent.