Dear Nevada Statewide Maternal and Child Health Coalition Members,
In our ongoing efforts to keep you informed, we have included information on available webinars and additional information on coronavirus (COVID-19). During this challenging time for our communities, we thank you for everything you are doing to keep each other healthy and protected; and especially to those working on the front lines to fight this pandemic. We see you and we thank you!
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Unemployment claims can be filed 24/7 online. The center will have expanded call hours from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm through Monday to Friday.
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For those unable to file online:
North: (775) 684-0350
South: (702) 486-0350
Rural: (888)890-8211
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Insurance
Nevada Health Link
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In response to Governor Sisolak’s March 12, 2020
Emergency Declaration
, Nevada Health Link announces a limited-time Exceptional Circumstance Special Enrollment Period for qualified Nevadans who missed the Open Enrollment Period. The SEP runs from March 17, 2020 through April 15, 2020, and will allow eligible individuals to enroll in a qualified health plan through the SBE platform,
Nevada Health Link
.
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Children are able to access their school meals during this time.
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Group Peer Support
Free Support Groups for Leaders and Front-Line Workers
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Group Peer Support is hosting several support groups that are offered for free.
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Group Leaders
A support group for ALL support group leaders for any population.
April 1st, 2020
12:00 PM PT
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Front-Line Workers
A support group for anyone whose work outside of their home puts them at risk, and their family members
April 2nd, 2020
4:00 pm PT
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Postpartum Support International
Support Groups for Mothers
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PSI has increased the number of free weekly online support groups, and added one for pregnancy mood support.
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The Scholastic Learn at Home
Day-by-day Projects to Keep Kids Reading, Thinking, and Growing
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Scholastic's Learn at Home website offers day to day courses for children in Pre-K to Grades 6 or higher. Each section features a week's worth of content with 15 additional days coming soon.
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Zero to Three
Tips for Families: Coronavirus
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Zero to Three offers resources that help families answer common questions, a guide to self-care, and activities for young children experiencing social distance with age-appropriate responses.
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To inform Nevadans statewide, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Governor's Office have created the Nevada Health Response website to better share information and resources as it pertains to the current status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact within the state of Nevada.
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Information for the Community
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March of Dimes
5 Things to Know about COVID-19 and Pregnancy
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1.
During pregnancy, your immune system isn't as quick to respond to illnesses. This may increase your risk of getting sick with viruses like COVID-19.
2.
Spread of COVID-19 occurs mainly when a person infected with the virus coughs or sneezes or a person without the virus comes into contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. To protect yourself from the virus, take these steps:
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Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
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Practice social distancing, which means being separated from another person by at least 6 feet. Limit or avoid contact with people who are sick.
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Clean and disinfect objects you touch regularly.
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Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
3.
If you have any of these symptoms, call your health care provider right away:
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Fever
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Cough
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Shortness of breath
4.
Conditions such as preterm birth have been reported among infants born to moms who tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy. However, we do not yet know if this is due to infection or other reasons.
5.
So far, babies born to moms with COVID-19 haven't tested positive due to vertical transmission. The virus has not been detected in amniotic fluid or breastmilk. However, infants can acquire infection early after birth through droplets.
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Mindful Breathing
15 Minutes a Day
Greater Good in Action
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Stress, anger, and anxiety can impair not only our health but our judgment and skills of attention. Fortunately, research suggests an effective way to deal with these difficult feelings: the practice of “mindfulness,” the ability to pay careful attention to what you're thinking, feeling, and sensing in the present moment without judging those thoughts and feelings as good or bad. Countless studies link mindfulness to better health, lower anxiety, and greater resilience to stress.
But how do you cultivate mindfulness? A basic method is to focus your attention on your own breathing—a practice called, quite simply, “mindful breathing.”
- Find a relaxed, comfortable position. You could be seated on a chair or on the floor on a cushion. Keep your back upright, but not too tight. Hands resting wherever they’re comfortable. Tongue on the roof of your mouth or wherever it’s comfortable.
- Notice and relax your body. Try to notice the shape of your body, its weight. Let yourself relax and become curious about your body seated here—the sensations it experiences, the touch, the connection with the floor or the chair. Relax any areas of tightness or tension. Just breathe.
- Tune into your breath. Feel the natural flow of breath—in, out. You don’t need to do anything to your breath. Not long, not short, just natural. Notice where you feel your breath in your body. It might be in your abdomen. It may be in your chest or throat or in your nostrils. See if you can feel the sensations of breath, one breath at a time. When one breath ends, the next breath begins.
- Now as you do this, you might notice that your mind may start to wander. You may start thinking about other things. If this happens, it is not a problem. It's very natural. Just notice that your mind has wandered. You can say “thinking” or “wandering” in your head softly. And then gently redirect your attention right back to the breathing.
- Stay here for five to seven minutes. Notice your breath, in silence. From time to time, you’ll get lost in thought, then return to your breath.
- After a few minutes, once again notice your body, your whole body, seated here. Let yourself relax even more deeply and then offer yourself some appreciation for doing this practice today.
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Keeping Kids Healthy During the Pandemic
Eating Healthy, Exercise, and Practicing Gratitude
National Geographic
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But boosting health and immunity requires a holistic approach that touches all elements of daily life, from sleep to mental health, says
Laura Gray
, a clinical psychologist at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
One thing that may surprise you: “Kids already tend to have healthier routines than their parents do,” Gray says. Their sleep tends to be more consistent, and with structured mealtimes and planned meals, their diets are often more nutritious. (
Share this just-for-kids coronavirus 101 with your children
.)
But it can be hard to maintain these routines when everyone’s stuck at home. Thinking creatively about how to keep up these habits can go a long way toward ensuring a healthy household. Here are a few tips:
Keep moving
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
recommends school-age children get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day; preschoolers should active throughout the day. Using those guidelines, Gray recommends setting up a predictable daily schedule for kids of all ages, with activities such as riding bikes, practicing sports drills, tossing balls, or jumping rope.
If you can’t get outside, Gray suggests timing kids to run laps on the stairs, setting up an obstacle course with regular household items, having a family dance party, or practicing kid yoga. (You’ll find lots of examples on YouTube.)
Keep eating
Though it might be tempting to throw nutrition out the window during this challenging time (wait … we can’t have peanut butter for breakfast, lunch,
and
dinner?), Gray says it’s crucial to keep that healthy-food drumbeat going.
With most children now home all day, doctors at Children’s National suggest that kids could become more involved in preparing menus or even meals. This way, they’ll feel more in control about what they’re eating, which hopefully leads to healthier eating.
For picky eaters, your old standbys still apply. Youngsters may have to try a new food 20 to 30 times before they like it, according to Children’s, so offer new foods alongside familiar ones, provide a small portion to start, and encourage them to just taste something new. Use food to make funny faces or shapes on plates or challenge kids to see how many colors they can eat.
School-age children up to eight years old should drink the same number of cups of water as their age (for instance, five cups a day for a five-year-old), according to Children’s. And yet drinking water is one of the first things to go when kids are off their regular schedule. Parents should have water bottles available throughout the day, encourage kids to take water breaks when they’re playing outside, and serve water with every meal.
Keep heads in the game
One thing families shouldn’t neglect is mental health—for kids and parents.
Homework help
“Most of us are preparing for the longer haul—it’s not just one or two snow days,” Gray says. “So it’s important to stay socially connected even with social distancing.” If you haven’t done so already, start setting up daily video chats with your children’s classmates to keep their friendships intact. You can also think about virtual dinner parties with friends or family to maintain social contact.
Gray also encourages parents to talk to kids about their worries, asking what questions they have, and reassuring them that everything is going to be OK.
Ashwin Rao
, a sports medicine physician in Seattle whose 11-year-old daughter, Sophie, has been home since early March, says he and his wife have become more attuned to her feelings, trying to keep an eye on signs of sadness or depression since she’s at an age in which she might not be able to communicate those feelings.
Gray also recommends focusing on gratitude to improve everyone’s mood and decrease anxiety. “Try having kids keep a gratitude journal, or put pieces of paper on a wall [that list] things they’re grateful for,” she says. “That helps flip the focus toward positive thoughts.”
And back to those basics
Yep—it all goes back to handwashing and keeping those fingers from faces.
You’ve probably heard recommendations to have kids sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or the ABCs while scrubbing. If your child is feeling less-than-cooperative, take a cue from Gray. “I have to give [my daughter] a choice [of what to sing], since she’s in the ‘no’ stage,” she says.
One more time: We’re all in this together. Gray suggests that parents and kids encourage other people in their community to adopt the same healthy practices. “Supporting each other will help people get through it,” she says, “and get through it stronger.”
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Know How it Spreads:
- There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
- The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
- These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Take steps to protect yourself:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact:
Stay home if you’re sick:
Cover coughs and sneezes:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
- Throw used tissues in the trash.
- Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Wear a facemask if you are sick:
- If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. Learn what to do if you are sick.
- If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.
Clean and disinfect:
- Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
- If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
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The NV Statewide MCH Coalition sub-grant is supported by the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) through Grant Number B04MC29352 and BO4MC30626 from the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the State of Nevada General Fund.
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NVMCH | Phone: (702) 492-8595 | Fax: (702) 616-4921 | www.nvmch.org
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