Health Advisory As we are entering the peak season for respiratory illness and the end of semester study period and finals, we advise taking extra care in exercising hygiene precautions to avoid illness. Current campus public health surveillance indicators indicate elevated prevalence of flu (influenza virus) and COVID-19 among students (respiratory symptoms), and well as…Continue Reading Health Advisory: Reminder of hygiene to prevent illness
Going Out and Safety
8/2 As there are many opportunities for social activities both on campus and off campus, we would like to share reminders for staying safe when you go out.
- • The university’s safety website contains resources for students, including tips for going out safely (also available in Chinese and Spanish)
- The mobile app (powered by LiveSafe) provides additional ways to look up information and contact the USC Department of Public Safety (DPS) and other campus resources. Please add the 24/7 phone numbers for DPS to your mobile phone: 213-740-4321 (University Park Campus) and 323-442-100 (Health Sciences Campus.)
- • Monkeypox has been identified as a public health issue in the U.S. and in LA County; it is being transmitted primarily through close intimate contact; we encourage you to read about ways to prevent transmission and protect yourself if you are in a population at higher risk of exposure.
- A County Dept. of Public Health also issued an advisory earlier this summer on fentanyl, which is still a public health concern. Anyone who has access to drugs that are not prescribed to them, and not directly dispensed to them through a pharmacy, should be advised to have Narcan, also known as naloxone, available and test any drugs for fentanyl. Narcan is a covered benefit of the Student Health Insurance Plan/Aetna and is available at the USC Pharmacies.
- USC Transportation also provides the rideshare program via Lyft, which further extends safer travel after hours.
Fentanyl Advisory 6/1
Anyone who has access to drugs that are not prescribed to them, and not directly dispensed to them through a pharmacy, should be advised to have Narcan, also known as naloxone, available and test any drugs for fentanyl.
- Be wary of counterfeit pills obtained through acquaintance/social media purchase.
- Assume that all non-prescribed substances contain fentanyl.
- Always have Narcan in case of an overdose.
- Never use alone (friends can save your life!).
- Test your drugs for fentanyl using fentanyl test strips.
- Start low and go slow (watch and wait before using more).
- Avoid dangerous combinations: fentanyl is especially dangerous when mixed with benzos such as Xanax and Klonopin, but mixing it unknowingly other opiates such as heroin, Vicodin, or Oxycontin or even with alcohol can also lead to an overdose very quickly.
Narcan is a covered benefit of the USC Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP/Aetna), Medi-Cal, and most other insurance plans and does not require a prescription. It can be obtained at USC Pharmacies and other retail pharmacies with a consultation with a pharmacist. Fentanyl testing strips are available at the USC Bookstores.
USC students can obtain no-cost kits containing both naloxone and testing strips through the Naloxone SC program run by graduate students in the USC School of Pharmacy.
USC Department of Public Safety’s first responders carry Narcan and are trained to administer it; the 24/7 emergency number is 213-740-4321 (UPC); 323-442-1000 (HSC)….Continue Reading Fentanyl Advisory 6/1