Central California Alliance for Health | Living Healthy | December 2021

The Nurse Advice Line is a service available to all Alliance members. If you or your child is sick or has health- related questions, you can call the Nurse Advice Line. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no cost to you. When do I call the Nurse Advice Line? Call the Nurse Advice Line when: ■ You or your child is sick and you cannot reach or get an appointment with your doctor—for example, if your child has a fever or rash, is vomiting, or your baby’s crying is unusual. ■ You are not sure if you should go to the emergency room. ■ You have questions about your health or your child’s health. ■ You are under 18 years old and want to talk in private about your health concerns. A registered nurse will give you advice on what to do next. The nurse can also help you: ■ Make an appointment with your primary care provider. ■ Make decisions on when and how to seek medical care for an urgent need. Depending on your health needs, a nurse might also help you in providing at-home advice. Call 844-971-8907 (TTY: Dial 7-1-1 ) to talk to a nurse. When you call If you have your Alliance Member ID card with you, have it ready to tell the nurse your ID number. Members who provide their ID number will be entered into a monthly raffle. You could win a $50 Target gift card . The flu shot: Why timing matters When it comes to getting your yearly flu shot, it pays to be an early bird. Here’s why: It takes about two weeks after the shot for your body to build immunity and start protecting against the flu. So it’s a good idea to get yours before the flu starts going around. When is the best time? As soon as the shot is available in the fall. It’s good to have it done by the end of October. But even in January or later, a flu shot is worth it. The flu is still active well into the spring. Yearly flu shots are a good idea for everyone in your family 6 months and older. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention What is the Nurse Advice Line? REMEMBER: If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. 2 Living Healthy