August 20, 2022
To: USC Students
From:
Erroll Southers, Ph.D., Associate Senior Vice President, Safety and Risk Assurance
Sarah Van Orman, M.D., MMM, FACHA, Chief Health Officer, USC Student Health; Division Chief for College Health, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Monique S. Allard, Ed.D., Interim Vice President, USC Student Affairs
We are glad to see so many students back on campus and in the neighborhoods, and hope you are enjoying connecting with friends both old and new.
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.
- LA 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.
We hope you remember to take precautions, stay aware of your surroundings, and reach out to campus resources for your health and safety questions and services
