Winning Health | Gold Coast Health Plan | Issue 2 | Fall 2020

WINNING HEALTH 2 2020 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Member Services Luis Aguilar Health Education Lupe González, PhD, MPH Editor-in-Chief Susana Enriquez-Euyoque Chief Medical Officer Nancy R. Wharfield, MD Copy Editor Calley Cederlof WINNING HEALTH is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of GOLD COAST HEALTH PLAN, 711 E. Daily Drive, Suite #106, Camarillo, CA 93010-6082, telephone 1-888-301-1228/TTY 1-888-310-7347. Information in WINNING HEALTH comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. WINNING Vaccines help protect kids of all ages from diseases like whooping cough and measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests children get many of their shots by age 2. Still, it seems that fewer kids have been getting their shots during the pandemic. Schedule your child’s shots Doctors’ offices are taking steps to keep patients safe during checkups and vaccine visits. If you think you may have fallen behind on your child’s shots, call their doctor to find out what recommendations they have for your child. Here are some shots that kids of different ages may need. Don’t stop seeing your doctor during the coronavirus pandemic Seeing your doctor for routine health visits is an important part of staying healthy. Call your doctor’s office to make an appointment if you or a family member have missed: Health exams to manage chronic diseases, such as: ❱ Diabetes ❱ Asthma Time-sensitive screenings, such as: ❱ Pap test ❱ Mammogram ❱ Colonoscopy Other screenings, such as: ❱ Chlamydia ❱ Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Don’t put your care off any longer. Call your doctor now to schedule a visit. A trip to the emergency room (ER) may not be needed. You may spend hours waiting to be seen if you don’t have a true emergency. If you can’t get an appointment with your Primary Care Provider (PCP), Urgent Care is your best option. There, they can treat colds, cuts, broken bones, burns, the flu and other minor problems. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, a head injury or another serious symptom, go to the ER or call 911. Urgent care vs. emergency room Even during COVID-19, don’t skip your child’s shots PRETEENS AND TEENS (11 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE) ● HPV ● Meningitis ● Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) PRESCHOOLERS AND SCHOOL-AGED KIDS (3 TO 10 YEARS OF AGE) ● Chickenpox ● DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) ● MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) ● Polio INFANTS AND TODDLERS (BIRTH TO 2 YEARS OF AGE) ● Chickenpox ● DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) ● Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) ● Hepatitis A and B ● MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) ● Pneumonia ● Polio