Abstract: A shield for the injection needle of an hypodermic syringe, comprises a movable shield sleeve having a channel extending therethrough from the top to the bottom and having upper and lower portions for normally positioning the sharpened end of the injection needle in the upper portion. The sleeve includes a plunger having an opening alignable with the channel. The plunger is movable between a normal blocking position in which the plunger opening is misaligned with respect to the channel, and an aligned position in which the plunger opening is aligned with respect to the channel, to permit the needle to move through the plunger opening, thereby permitting the needle to be exposed a substantial distance below the bottom of the sleeve for purposes of injection. Automatic means associated with the syringe and the sleeve permit the needle to be automatically retracted into the sleeve upper portion, after the needle has been exposed a substantial distance below the bottom of the sleeve for injection.