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Margie Garcia, the mother of an 18-year-old with autism, desperately wants her son to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
But she fears that the sight of the syringe could trigger his anxiety, causing him to run away or tackle someone.
So last week, her son, Niko, made a practice run at a mock clinic along with dozens of other young adults and children with developmental disabilities. He went through a registration process, then a nurse placed a syringe needle-less against his arm and stamped the spot with a bandage. Afterward, he sat in an observation area, wearing red headphones to block out any unexpected noise. All around him in the parking lot floated bubbles and balloons.