Student Health will distribute free Narcan packages at the Trojan Farmers Market Wednesday on McCarthy Quad. Narcan is a nasal spray medication that reverses opioid overdose and saves lives. The packages will be available while supplies last, Chief Campus Student Health Officer Dr. Sarah Van Orman said in a briefing with the Daily Trojan Tuesday. 

“We are really pleased that Narcan has been moved to over-the-counter, and we really want to find every possible way for people to get Narcan,” Van Orman said.

Students with the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan have the ability to visit any pharmacy to get Narcan with no copay. Students without Aetna may be charged depending on their insurance plan. In either case, Van Orman encouraged students to consider getting the medication anyway. 

“We really want to make sure all students know about [Narcan’s] availability,” Van Orman said. “Consider having it if they’re in any kind of environment where they might be in a position to aid someone who is potentially experiencing an opioid-related overdose.”

Other opportunities to get Narcan at no cost include receiving it through a nonprofit organization, such as the USC chapter of Taco Inc. and programs in Los Angeles County including the Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution program. 

Van Orman said Student Health is “exploring other mechanisms to get [Narcan] distributed on  campus on an ongoing basis.”

For those unsure of how and when to use Narcan, the NaloxoneSC website contains a 10-minute instructional video made by graduate students at the School of Pharmacy to train individuals on how to use Narcan. 

Studies show that unhealthy eating habits and eating of processed foods can have an effect on brain chemistry and can be linked to issues with mental health, Van Orman said. Trans fats and highly processed carbohydrates trigger the reduction of serotonin levels which can cause depression. 

Van Orman said moderation in consuming processed foods and finding a healthy diet are important in staying healthy. Students who are eating healthy proteins, fresh vegetables and whole grains 80% of the time and are eating processed foods 20% of the time will feel fine and are better able to protect their mental health. 

“Find that moderation and that balanced place where the majority of what you’re consuming is nutritious and is nourishing you,” Van Orman said. “But what we often find with students is that they may be really caught up and getting very busy.”

Student Health often observes patterns students have of skipping meals early in the day, eating highly-processed snacks early in the day and eating large meals out later in the day, Van Orman said. These types of diets contribute to poor physical and mental health. 

Van Orman also acknowledged that students may not be shopping and stocking their apartments with healthy food or cooking.

“A couple of things I suggest even for students who might be living in dorms is to make friends with the grocery store,” Van Orman said. “Particularly, we are lucky to have a Trader Joe’s close to campus.”

Van Orman advised students to take time on the weekends to think about what they might eat throughout the next week and go grocery shopping accordingly. Planning ahead enables students to stock up on nutritious foods for the week. This method also allows them to find ease in choosing from a range of options to eat from in the morning even if they find themselves busy.

Student Health has seen a handful of cases of long coronavirus, or post-coronavirus symptoms in students. It is a complex condition that becomes concerning when an individual is experiencing symptoms longer than a month after the initial diagnosis. 

The general symptoms of long coronavirus include overwhelming fatigue or tiredness, shortness of breath, chest pain and elevated heart rate. Additional effects include difficulty in concentrating, sleeping, experiencing dizziness, depression and anxiety.

“If someone thinks they’re experiencing [long coronavirus, they [should] get a medical evaluation [and] can start with Student Health,” Van Orman said. “Those symptoms are very nonspecific and they could be from another underlying health condition. So a lot of the evaluation is first of all to determine if there is something else that could be causing the symptoms.”

If students are found to have long coronavirus, Student Health can work with students on each symptom individually and help them develop a plan to manage symptoms.

“While [long coronavirus is] not super common in people who are otherwise young and healthy, we do believe that it’s important for people to be vaccinated to reduce their risk of long COVID,” Van Orman said.