The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Clinical Care: Considerations for Providing Virtual Evidence-Based Care to Youth With High Levels of Needle Fear

Objective: Youth with high levels of needle fear are at risk for adverse health outcomes and poor compliance with general and specialty medical recommendations. With consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased availability of vaccines, recommendations for adapting and virtually delivering evidence-based interventions for youth with high levels of needle fear are of particular importance for pediatric psychologists. Thus, the purpose of this commentary is to provide an overview of evidence-based interventions and recommendations for pediatric psychologists seeking to adapt and virtually deliver evidence-based interventions to youth with high levels of needle fear. Conclusions: Although pediatric psychologists may face challenges when adapting and virtually delivering exposure-based interventions to youth and their families, the clinical benefits certainly outweigh the costs, particularly considering the increased availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for youth.