Health Resources

The purpose of this page is to help you to find accurate and reliable sources of information to answer your health related questions and become a more knowledgeable health care consumer.  These resources do not replace the expert advice of a qualified health care professional. Please consult with a health care provider when making health related decisions. If you are experiencing a health emergency, please call 911.

Before using any online sources of healthcare information, we encourage you to consider the source and quality of the information.  Here’s a handy guide from MedlinePlus and the National Library of Medicine on Healthy Web Surfing.

Misinformation spreads faster than illness. For reliable information on COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, visit these websites for up-to-date information:
Links last updated 3/16/2020

• Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) page at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Business owners may also be interested in the Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers page.
• COVID-19 Outbreak page at the World Health Organization, and a helpful Myth-Busting page to counter misinformation.
• Johns Hopkins Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Center Be aware that some sites advertising a global cases map from Johns Hopkins have a fraudulent link. Accessing the overall resource center site through this link and then opening the map is a good way to ensure you are safely viewing the correct page.
• We recommend this guide from chef J. Kenji López-Alt about Food Safety and the Coronavirus, which has well-documented research to support each section.
• The IRS has automatically extended the due date for filing individual and some corporation taxes until July 15, 2020. Visit their press release at IRS.gov for more information.
• The deadline for enforcement of Real ID license requirements has been delayed through October 1, 2021 (originally October 1, 2020), so don't worry if you haven't been able to update your driver's license or state ID yet. Here is the Dept of Homeland Security announcement and a New York Times article providing some context about Real ID and this decision. All New York Times articles concerning COVID-19 are currently free to access.

• For easy access to news updates about COVID-19, visit our NewsBank resource. Use the Health topic on their homepage, then select Coronavirus to do a comprehensive search for recent news, or view their Special Reports with COVID-19 as the featured topic for this month's report.
• Our AtoZ Databases resource includes a Healthcare Professionals search, to help locate doctors' offices and health resource centers in your community.
  

Most recent Windham and New Hampshire updates about COVID-19:

• Town of Windham Informational Alerts
• The Town of Windham has a COVID-19 page.
• Contact information for Town of Windham Emergency Management: EM@windhamnh.gov, Fire Department: (603) 434-4907
• Sign up for CODERed alerts from the Town of Windham, as well as the Town Notify Me system for municipal updates.
• Windham School District News Updates
• The School District has a COVID-19 Resources page.
• Contact information: covid19@windhamsd.org, (603) 845-1566
• State of New Hampshire Updates
• Press Releases and Emergency Orders
• Call 2-1-1 in New Hampshire for COVID-19 answers and updates.
• 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) page from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. You can also download this PDF of their COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions page.
• Looking to help? Consider NH Responds, an organization for recruiting and registering skilled volunteers to deploy where they are most needed in times of crisis.

 

Need some help talking with your kids about COVID-19?  These resources can help:

• Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus from NPR
• Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (PDF download) from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services).
• A great social story explaining why we are all staying home right now on Flipsnack
• An excellent Mama Doctor Jones video breaking down information from trustworthy sources about COVID-19 and expecting mothers. She does a great job emphasizing this information is to help discussions with your doctor, and not medical advice, as well as emphasizing getting information from good sources.
  

For additional health information, explore these reliable resources:

• MedlinePlus connects you to reliable, easy-to-understand health information on illness, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, wellness and more.  MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's website for patients, their families and friends and is produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library.  For a MedlinePlus website video tutorial, click here.
• Explora Public Libraries is an online resource available to all Nesmith Library cardholders, both at the library and remotely from home, on a computer or mobile device. Explora provides easy-to-use features and reliable content from the world’s leading magazines, academic journals, and reference books.
• Healthfinder.gov is a website developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and is designed to help you find reliable information on health topics, health care providers, insurance and local services.
• Need information on alternative health approaches? The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on the diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. NCCIH was formerly known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
• Traveling?  Visit the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Traveler’s Health page to learn about travel health notices, vaccines and related information before you travel.
• Need specific information for Children or Teens? Whether you need advice as a parent or easy-to-understand information on a health topic for your children, KidsHealth from the Nemours Foundation offers information on a variety of topics.  The site also includes free videos on common lab tests and how the body works.

Need information on medications?  While your health care provider and pharmacist are your best sources of information, the following guides may be helpful.

• MedlinePlus Medication Information - Basic medication information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine on drugs, herbs and supplements.
• FDA Medication Guides - An online version of the paper handouts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that accompany prescription medications, containing information about side effects, instructions for use, and more.
• Poison Control Centers - In case of an emergency, call 911.  The Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 (click to call from a mobile device) provides free, confidential medical advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.