Kern Legacy Health Plan | A Legacy of Good Health | Fall 2020

Even during COVID-19, don’t skip your child’s shots Vaccines help protect kids of all ages from serious diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children get many of their shots by age 2. Despite that recommendation, it seems that fewer kids have been getting their shots during the coronavirus crisis. Schedule your child’s shots Doctors’ offices are taking steps to keep their patients safe during checkups and vaccine visits. Here are some shots that kids of differ- ent ages may need. Infants and toddlers (birth to age 2 years) ● DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). ● MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). ● Chickenpox. ● Pneumonia. ● Hepatitis A and B. ● Polio. Preschoolers and school-aged kids (ages 3 to 10) ● DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). ● MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). ● Chickenpox. ● Polio. Preteens and teens (ages 11 to 18) ● HPV. ● Meningitis. ● Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis). Keeping a positive outlook during the pandemic Your Employee Assistance Program is there for you and your family, by phone and online. You get 24/7 toll-free access to counselors. Call 844-416-6386 to get confidential help or visit their website at www.anthemeap.com (code: Kern ). You’re wearing a face mask, staying 6 feet away from others when out in public and cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily. In other words, you’re taking care of your physical health. But what are you doing for your mental outlook during the coronavirus pandemic? Where are you finding joy in your life? It’s not a frivolous question. Science tells us that our emotional health can have a big impact on how we feel physically. It’s called the mind-body connection. According to the American Heart Association, people who are happier tend to have better heart health. They manage stress better. And being more posi- tive may contribute to a longer lifespan. So how can you build positivity in your life during these difficult times? Here are a few ideas. Stay connected with friends and family. Whether it’s by telephone, social media or online video chat, regular check-ins with loved ones can spread joy in both directions. Don’t let too much time go by without connecting to someone important in your life. Reframe your situation. Don’t think of yourself as being a prisoner in your own house. Instead, try looking at this as an op- portunity to focus on yourself and your home. Is there a room in your house you’d like to rearrange? Do you have a pile of papers wait- ing to be organized? Try to do one productive thing a day. It’ll make you feel better. Stay as close to your normal routine as possible. Wake up and go to bed at around the same time. Eat regular meals. Practice good hygiene and change into clean clothes, even if you’re not working or working from home. Sticking to your normal routine will make it easier to resume normal life when this is over. Keep your house neat and tidy. Uncer- tainty is just outside your front door. Keep your side of the door organized, predictable and clean. A cluttered home can lead to a cluttered mind. Limit how much news you watch and read. Reading or listening to news about the pandemic can stress you out. Stay in- formed, but don’t obsess over endless media coverage. Focus on the small things that bring happiness each day. At the end of the day, think about all the small moments that gave you pleasure. What did you accomplish? What were you grateful for? You might want to write your answers down in a journal so you can revisit them when you’re feeling down. Spend time in nature. Take a stroll in a park. Have a seat near a pond and watch the ducks paddle around. Studies have shown that spending time in nature settings can: ● Improve your attention. ● Lower your stress levels. ● Improve your mood. Just be sure to practice social distancing while you’re outdoors and wear a face mask if you’re around others. Additional sources: American Psychiatric Association; American Psy- chological Association; Anxiety and Depression Association of America; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention