As some students start traveling for fall break, USC Student Health anticipates a rise in respiratory illnesses and coronavirus cases, said Chief Student Health Officer Dr. Sarah Van Orman in a briefing with the Daily Trojan Tuesday. 

While coronavirus cases are falling at local and national levels, coronavirus activity typically rises seven to 10 days after students return from places they traveled to over breaks. Students risk getting exposed to coronavirus and other viruses when they interact with various other populations, making travel a high-risk activity.

“When you think about … transit hubs — a fancy word for airports, buses [and] train stations — they’re actually pretty high risk areas,” Van Orman said. “You’ve got people from all over in close quarters and that may explain some of [the exposure] even more than on the airplane itself where there’s pretty good air exchange.”

Van Orman recommended that individuals test for coronavirus before and after travel. Responding to symptoms of coronavirus early prevents its spread. Coronavirus is an aerosol virus, which means it spreads through the air, so wearing a mask during travel is effective in preventing illness. Frequent hand washing and using hand sanitizer after contact with frequently touched surfaces also protects from cold viruses. 

“It’s a great time, if you haven’t gotten your fall respiratory virus vaccine. It’s a good time to do that [and get] your flu shot,” Van Orman said. “We also strongly recommend people get their updated 2023-24 COVID-19 booster.”

The new 2023-24 coronavirus booster arrived at USC Pharmacies last week and a handful of them have been administered so far, Van Orman said. Student Health will track the number of students receiving the Pfizer and Moderna boosters and will continue to push for students to get vaccinated. 

Tuesday was also World Mental Health Day. Van Orman said this was an important time for students to relax, rejuvenate and focus on how they take care of themselves. She encouraged students to try new things, get physical exercise, and spend time outdoors and with friends. 

“Go out [and] explore Los Angeles a little bit, go somewhere you haven’t gone before or just stay in and sleep,” Van Orman said. “We have a long semester ahead of us and so I think we’re really fortunate to have this time at the midterm break to really take some time and recharge.”

Van Orman recommended that students take advantage of a program called Let’s Talk offered by USC Counseling and Mental Health Services to help students explore talk therapy. In 30-minute one-on-one conversations, students can engage in individual conversations with a licensed counselor from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. These talks are not meant to be psychotherapy treatment or full intake therapy sessions, she said. 

Let’s Talk also offers focus on community-specific topics for Black, Latine, LGBTQIA+, APIDA and international students. Students can find the schedule for talks through the workshops tab on mySHR and sign up to get a Zoom link.

“[Let’s Talk is] just a chance to spend 15 to 20 minutes with a counselor to sort of just talk through something that’s happening,” Van Orman said. “It helps [students] have that moment to kind of just debrief about what’s happening.”

Van Orman also emphasized the importance of physical activity and that students should prioritize it for most days of their lives. Maintaining physical activity throughout life reduces the risk of various diseases, improves mental health and increases life expectancy. Regular exercise is also beneficial for mood and concentration.

“It’s surprising to me the number of students who really cut physical activity out of their life because of the pressures that they’re feeling to [do] all of the other things they are doing,” Van Orman said. “Do something physical, whatever it is that you enjoy for 45 minutes to an hour. Whatever you like to do will be really good for you.”