Imagine if you could do one small thing that would help life get back to pre-pandemic normal, or even some semblance of normal. Well, you can. By getting vaccinated, you are doing your part to help your family, friends and work life return to how we used to live. Community Builders of Kansas City is working to educate its community about the importance of the vaccine and help residents gain access to the shot.

“Getting vaccinated is one of the most effective ways to fight the coronavirus and get our lives back,” said Emmet Pierson, president and CEO of CBKC. “CBKC is committed to the health of our community and the fight against COVID-19. We are doing what we can to educate the public about the vaccine and get shots in arms.”

CBKC has provided its office space at 4401 E. Blue Parkway to officials at Swope Health to run a vaccination clinic. The clinic began mid-February and is scheduled to run through August. Around 5,000 people have been vaccinated at the clinic already, with about 350 people coming through daily. The goal is to ramp up to 500 people per day.

Appointments are required for the clinic. You can check your eligibility and schedule your shot by calling 877-435-8411 or visiting https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator/. 

Educating the public about the importance of vaccines is important to CBKC so we’d like to dispel some of the misinformation we’ve heard.

The truth about the vaccines:

  • The vaccines do not alter your DNA.
  • You cannot get the virus from the vaccines since they do not contain any live virus
  • Vaccines do not contain preservatives. 
  • Allergic reactions are extremely rare – one in 500,000 to 1 million. Conversely, the virus has been killing people at a rate of one in every 50.
  • Even if you don’t feel sick, you can still have and pass COVID-19. In fact, 50 percent of people with the virus have no symptoms and feel fine but are still spreading the disease.
  • You still need the vaccine even if you’ve already had the virus. Immunity from having the virus is reported to last three to six months so you need to get vaccinated to avoid reinfection.

If you have questions about the vaccinations, talk to your healthcare provider. When reading information online, be sure the source is reputable, such as The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). Misinformation is everywhere so be selective.