Maine DHHS presents guidelines and resources for a healthy holiday time

AUGUSTA— The Maine Department of Well being and Human Solutions (DHHS) is encouraging Maine persons to consider uncomplicated techniques to stop the unfold of sicknesses and assistance mental wellbeing during this holiday period.

“Taking a several basic methods can assist to make the holidays a healthful, joyful time for reflecting on the previous 12 months, gathering with good friends and family, and traveling,” said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew and Maine Centre for Condition Handle and Avoidance Director Nirav D. Shah, in a information release. “Such ways involve currently being up to day on vaccines, using safeguards in opposition to respiratory illnesses, using absolutely free tests to test for COVID-19, earning positive you have wellness coverage to deal with care, and reaching out for emotional aid.”

Ideas and Resources for a Healthy Vacation Year

Stop and limit the unfold of respiratory viruses: Many respiratory viruses are currently circulating statewide, together with influenza (flu), COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Persons can take the pursuing actions to decrease the unfold of health issues:

• Stay dwelling when you’re unwell
• Wash your arms often
• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Stay clear of shut get hold of with people today who are sick
• Stay away from touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects

For COVID-19 and flu, receiving up to day on vaccinations now will suggest total safety kicks in through the very first months of the new calendar year. The two the flu and COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are broadly available throughout the condition, at no charge, in regional pharmacies, doctors’ workplaces, and community clinics. All people six months and more mature is eligible for both equally a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccination. Everybody five many years of age and older is suitable for a COVID-19 booster if they acquired their previous COVID-19 vaccination at minimum two months in the past.

Stock up on no cost at-household COVID-19 checks: Tests for COVID-19 right before and immediately after holiday break gatherings and vacation will help hold households and communities protected. Maine folks can get one particular absolutely free package that consists of five at-house, swift COVID-19 checks each individual thirty day period through Project Obtain Covid Tests (Task ACT) at accesscovidtests.org. In addition, the Federal govt a short while ago declared the re-start of its plan to provide totally free fast exams to U.S. residents as a result of the U.S. Postal Assistance at COVIDTests.gov.

Indication up for cost-effective, large high-quality overall health insurance plan: If you or your household deficiency very affordable overall health coverage, explore your solutions through CoverME.gov, Maine’s State-centered Wellness Insurance coverage Market. You have via January 15, 2023, to indicator up for a prepare that requires influence on February 1, 2023. Options offered through CoverME.gov cover a detailed array of actual physical and behavioral wellness needs. Visit CoverME.gov today to evaluate strategies, enroll in protection, or access no cost assist. Health coverage increases the affordability of remedy when you require it as very well as preventative solutions to preserve you healthy in the initially position. It also presents you the peace of brain of knowing your funds are safeguarded from one particular incident or illness.

If you or a beloved 1 is sensation overwhelmed, anxious, or unhappy, get to out for aid: The needs of the holiday time can direct to an increase in pressure, melancholy, and other behavioral health and fitness troubles. Some of the indications that you may well be experiencing burnout or other stressors and that your mental overall health may possibly have to have interest contain irritability, nervousness, modifications in hunger, fatigue, and issues sleeping or concentrating. Additional really serious warning signs might contain a sense of hopelessness, withdrawing from loved types, substance misuse, self-harm, and feelings, ideas, or steps of suicide.

Find help immediately if you or someone you know is speaking about suicide, thoughts of hopelessness or unbearable agony, or about staying a burden to other folks.

• If you or another person you know is going through a psychological well being disaster, call or textual content 988 to achieve the 988 Suicide and Disaster Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline responds 24 hours a day, seven days a week to calls, chats or texts from any person who desires guidance for suicidal, mental health and fitness, and/or compound use crisis, and connects people in need to have with trained disaster counselors. People can also dial 988 if they are nervous about a loved one who might will need disaster guidance.

For these not dealing with a crisis, StrengthenME is an initiative to support Mainers get linked to no cost tension management and resiliency methods to endorse overall health and perfectly-remaining. Providers are totally nameless, quick to obtain, and community centered.

• If you or a person you know is looking for aid, get in touch with StrengthenME at (207) 221-8198, 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., or visit StrengthenME.com.

StrengthenME also supports the Point out of Maine and Operate Drive Staff Assistance Plan (EAP)that especially serves frontline staff, giving wellness workshops, peer relationship teams, absolutely free confidential coaching classes with a accredited mental overall health specialist and much more. It also operates the FrontLineWarmLine, a devoted cellphone guidance service for wellness care workers, initial responders, and university team.

• If you or an individual you know is a well being treatment worker, social expert services employee, first responder or faculty staff members in need of help, connect with the FrontLineWarmLine at (207) 221-8196 seven times a 7 days, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Considering that launching in Oct 2020, the StrengthenME coalition has offered assist through above 60,000 contacts with Maine people today. StrengthenME also offers info and assistance assets through social media and a resource web site where website guests can get a Wellness Check out-In quiz.

If you or an individual you know requirements other assist and you never know who to contact, arrive at out to 211. 211 Maine is a totally free, private facts and referral support that connects individuals of all ages throughout Maine to area expert services. 211 Maine is centered in Maine and obtainable 24 hours a day, 7 times a week. 211 Maine’s professionals are properly trained and pleasant they know we all need aid in some cases.

You can access 211 through cellphone, text, or e mail to discuss to an individual or by browsing an on the internet databases to find local products and services.