Kinney Drugs Supervisor Elizabeth Finlayson, left, and Supervising Pharmacist Jeff Miller demonstrate how Buzzy the Vaccine Bee works when administering a vaccine. “Where was this when I actually got my shot?” Finlayson asked. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Cerbone)

SARANAC LAKE — For children who are afraid of needles stinging them, a bee named Buzzy at Kinney Drugs stores may help them work through that fear and get them vaccinated against COVID-19.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has opened up the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 12 and up, and Kinney Drugs is bringing Buzzy in to help ease the pain and make the experience less scary.

Buzzy the Bee was invented by pediatrician Amy Baxter almost a decade ago. She pitched it unsuccessfully on the show “Shark Tank” in 2014 but continued the business.

It’s a pretty simple design. Ice pack wings are strapped on a bee-shaped device, applying cold and vibration to the skin.

Supervising Pharmacist Jeff Miller said this desensitizes the nerves and serves as a distraction from the shot.

Buzzy the Vaccine Bee applies vibration and cold to the site of a vaccine to counter-irritate the nerves there and close the gate on pain sensors. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Cerbone)

“It’s kind of like a counter-irritant,” Miller said. “It provides some nerve stimulation that’s not painful, but it excites those nerves.”

Saranac Lake’s store hasn’t used Buzzy yet for a vaccine.

Miller said the Saranac Lake Kinney Drugs just started offering Pfizer doses two weeks ago. It’s offered the Moderna vaccine since late January.

“We haven’t really had the need to use Buzzy the Bee yet, though,” Miller said.

He said he’s been surprised to see young people excited to get the shot and mostly unafraid of the needle. And they’ve been getting vaccinated in large numbers.

Miller said in the last week around 75% of vaccine appointments at the Saranac Lake location were for people 18 years old and younger, and of that, around 50% were in the 12- to 16-year-old range.

Vaccines are becoming more available for adolescents as testing shows they are just as effective and safe as they are for adults. On Tuesday Moderna announced plans to seek approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine to be given to people as young as 12 years old.

The age limit on COVID-19 vaccines is expected to continue to drop as testing continues.

“Clinically, Buzzy uses natural ‘gate control’ pain relief by confusing the body’s own nerves, thereby dulling or even eliminating sharp pain,” Kinney Drugs’ Director of Patient Outcomes Shannon Miller said in a press release. “When nerves receive non-painful signals such as vibration or cold, the brain ‘closes the gate’ on pain.”

Asked about if there are any problems with children who have bee phobias, Jeff said he hadn’t thought about that.

“I could see that being a potential problem,” Jeff said. “I feel like most kids, though, would be OK with it. They obviously know the difference between a fake bee and a real one.”

Saranac Lake Kinney Drugs Supervisor Elizabeth Finlayson took part in a demonstration of Buzzy the Bee Monday afternoon. She already got her Moderna shot at work in January but said the cold and vibration felt comforting.

“Where was this when I actually got my shot?” Finlayson said. “This looks nice!”

Asked her thoughts on Buzzy’s use for students and children, Saranac Lake Central School District Superintendent Diane Fox said, “I’m not sure it’s just kids that need that.”

Shannon said Kinney Drugs is offering Buzzy through a partnership with Pain Care Labs.

“We have used Buzzy effectively in clinical settings such as pediatric flu clinics with excellent patient response,” she said.