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Join REACH in spreading the word about COVID and flu vaccines!

The REACH project promotes health and wellness of people living in Buffalo. One important part of our work is encouraging members of our community to get COVID and flu vaccines. And we need your help! Use the resources on this page to spread the word.

Become a Community Vaccine Champion!

Community Vaccine Champion Glendora Johnson Cooper discusses the impact that COVID-19 has had on her community and why she became a champion.

Community Vaccine Champions are trained to facilitate authentic conversations about receiving COVID-19 and flu vaccinations. At these regularly scheduled trainings, you’ll learn best practices about how to have informal and ongoing conversations with loved ones about the importance of being vaccinated.

Interested in becoming a champion? Please contact us: reach.contact@caiglobal.org.

Already a Champion? See our resource page for Community Vaccine Champions.

Reach Talk video series: Testimonials about getting vaccinated

Davonte (Ticket) Gaines, a Division 1 basketball athlete from Buffalo, shares his experience with COVID-19 and why he received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Watch the REACH Talk series of COVID videos on our YouTube channel.

COVID-19 FAQs

Why is getting vaccinated important?

Getting a flu and COVID-19 shot lowers your chances of getting a severe case and going to the hospital and helps to protect and lower the risk for those around you. COVID-19 shots are an important tool to help stop the pandemic.

I felt sick after I got my shot. What does that mean?

When you get either your flu or COVID-19 shot, you might have muscle aches, chills or fever-like symptoms for a day or two. That’s completely normal, it means that the body is building protection against the viruses that cause the flu and COVID-19.

Do I really need the flu shot every year?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Flu viruses change each year and your ability to fight it off decreases.
A yearly flu shot for anyone 6 months and older is important to protect against the flu.

This season, a flu shot may lessen your chances of being hospitalized with COVID if you get it. It also helps reduce the burden on our hospitals and saves resources for COVID-19 patients who need this type of care.

What else can I do to protect myself?

Wear a mask, wash your hands often, and practice good hygiene by cleaning surfaces and objects in your home and elsewhere. If you are sick, stay home and use your inner elbow to cover up your sneeze.

Learn more about COVID-19 and the flu