—Gina Romano, San Jose, California One reason may be underestimated: In the past, real-life injections were never shown on TV or in print. Now the sight of needles piercing arms is everywhere. This is sure to increase the fear of needles suffered by up to 25 percent of the population. The fear is often intense: Some people feel anxious; others become nauseated, have difficulty breathing or faint. To avoid confronting this fear, they may find all sorts of reasons to reject vaccination. This is different from refusing to wear a mask, a separate subject.