The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Tuesday that everyone ages six months and up receive another coronavirus booster. The new vaccines are monovalent boosters designed to target the prevalent XBB.1.5 variant, Chief Campus Health Officer Dr. Sarah Van Orman said in a briefing with the Daily Trojan Tuesday.

“We are reviewing the data and the clinical protocols released by the CDC, and [we are] working with our partners in the USC Pharmacies on vaccination plans,” Van Orman said.

Instead of recommending the boosters based on an individual’s risk, age and underlying health conditions, as many experts expected, the CDC opted to coincide coronavirus vaccines with the actual circulating virus variant, in the same vein as annual flu shots. 

“Our flu campaign and outreaches are already underway,” Van Orman said. “We strongly recommend students, faculty and staff use vaccinations as an important protection tool for this fall [and] winter respiratory season — which includes flu, coronavirus and RSV.”

While most students are not at risk for severe disease or hospitalization due to influenza, getting sick can have a detrimental effect on their class and study schedules, Van Orman said. 

Sleep scheduling

Students who don’t establish healthy sleeping patterns are more likely to develop a range of poor health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression and mood problems, she said.

Long-term poor sleeping habits can exacerbate poor mental health, and students tend to try to catch up on sleep on the weekends. This method of short sleeping patterns paired with later, longer patterns does not work, Van Orman said. Instead, students should aim to get seven to eight hours of sleep most nights.

Poor sleep negatively impacts memory consolidation, or “the process of learning something and making it stick,” Van Orman said. 

“If you’re going to stay up all night and cram for a test, you’re actually better off studying and then going to sleep so that you can consolidate those memories,” she said.

Naps can be restorative, but students should be mindful of their duration, Van Orman said. Naps are most effective at 30 minutes or less. Naps that last over 45 minutes send the body into deep Rapid Eye Movement sleep, during which dreams typically occur. Entering REM sleep during the day is disruptive to nighttime sleep. 

“Limiting naps to just a quick shut-eye — that catnap — is actually very healthy; the longer nap probably isn’t,” Van Orman said. “A lot of students struggle with this [and] it’s a good thing to pay attention to.”

Getting adequate sleep is difficult, especially when students have noisy roommates, opportunities to go out and drink alcohol and frequently changing schedules, Van Orman said. 

However, it is “important for students to think about [sleeping patterns] and to recognize that it actually can have a direct impact on mood as well as your academic performance,” she said.

Students experiencing sleep trouble can sign up for the Sleep Well Workshop available through MySHR. The workshop provides students with insight about how sleep works, the impacts of poor sleep and skills to improve sleep.

Pregnancy and STI testing recommended

Van Orman also encouraged students to take advantage of self-directed pregnancy and STI testing available on mySHR. The service is intended for individuals not experiencing symptoms of an STI and not looking to make an appointment with a provider, but who want to remain mindful of their health.

With self-directed testing, users can go online, answer questions and order tests themselves. After the order is generated, individuals can visit the lab and get tested. Those who are concerned about their health or are experiencing symptoms are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider. 

“The self-directed option is a great option for people if [they] have not had an annual screening, they’ve had a change in partner, a new partner or they have concerns,” Van Orman said. “It’s really fast, quick, efficient, and a lot of students really like to use that option.”

Self-harm prevention

Student Health acknowledged World Suicide Prevention Day Sunday by sharing My Mental Health Assessment, a mental health screening program available to students through the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The tool allows students to take an assessment for various mental health conditions including suicidality. 

Everyone has a role to play in identifying possible suicidal behavior in their loved ones, Van Orman said. 

“It’s okay to ask somebody … if they’re thinking of harming themselves — [it] doesn’t cause them to have those thoughts,” Van Orman said. “If it’s someone that you’re close to, it’s okay to have that conversation with them.”

Any student, faculty or staff concerned about someone and unsure of what to do can use Trojans Care 4 Trojans, an initiative within the Office of Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention that allows for anonymous reporting. 

Overdose intervention

Naloxone and naloxone training to prevent opioid overdoses is also available through Student Health, Van Orman said. At no cost, students can pick up free naloxone kits through the NaloxoneSC program.

“Anyone can get and carry naloxone in their room, in their car, in their backpack and potentially use it in a situation where they suspect someone may be having an opioid overdose,” Van Orman said. “That’s just another thing people can do to either help themselves, a friend or just to be prepared to respond to an emergency you may encounter.”