A safety needle assembly comprising: a hub; a needle fixed to said hub said needle having a distal end, formed for insertion into a patient, and a proximal end; a shield having a tubular body with a proximal end and a distal end, an aperture being formed in said distal end to allow passage therethrough of said distal end of said needle, said shield being axially displaceable proximally relative to said hub from a first position to a second position, said needle extending through said aperture and said distal end of said needle being exposed with said shield being in said second position; and, a displaceable locking tongue, said locking tongue having a first position sufficiently covering said aperture so as to prevent passage therethrough of said distal end of said needle; and, a biasing element for urging said locking tongue to said first position; wherein, said locking tongue is releasably retained in a retained position prior to use of the safety needle assembly, said aperture being sufficiently uncovered with said locking tongue being in said retained position so as to permit passage of said distal end of said needle through said aperture, said locking tongue being retained in said retained position against biasing force of said biasing element; and, wherein, with said shield being displaced from said first position to said second position, said locking tongue is released from said retained position and urged towards said first position under force of said biasing element, characterized in that said locking tongue not striking or engaging said needle during an injection or prior to full shielding of said needle. a hub; a needle fixed to said hub said needle having a distal end, formed for insertion into a patient, and a proximal end; a shield having a tubular body with a proximal end and a distal end, an aperture being formed in said distal end to allow passage therethrough of said distal end of said needle, said shield being axially displaceable proximally relative to said hub from a first position to a second position, said needle extending through said aperture and said distal end of said needle being exposed with said shield being in said second position; and, a displaceable locking tongue, said locking tongue having a first position sufficiently covering said aperture so as to prevent passage therethrough of said distal end of said needle; and, a biasing element for urging said locking tongue to said first position; wherein, said locking tongue is releasably retained in a retained position prior to use of the safety needle assembly, said aperture being sufficiently uncovered with said locking tongue being in said retained position so as to permit passage of said distal end of said needle through said aperture, said locking tongue being retained in said retained position against biasing force of said biasing element; and, wherein, with said shield being displaced from said first position to said second position, said locking tongue is released from said retained position and urged towards said first position under force of said biasing element, characterized in that said locking tongue not striking or engaging said needle during an injection or prior to full shielding of said needle.