Monday, October 2, 2023
What to expect for the flu, RSV and COVID-19 respiratory season Deb Balzer Mayo Clinic News Network
in the Southern Hemisphere, where winter is ending, to help forecast the upcoming respiratory season. “We saw in Australia that they had a typical to, in some areas, more severe influenza season. And that’s what I Influenza, respiratory syncytial expect this year is more of what we saw virus (RSV), and COVID-19 are all part pre-pandemic,” says Dr. Binnicker. of the seasonal respiratory virus lineup. “Whether it’s an average year or a According to the Centers for Disease more severe year will be based on a few Control and Prevention (CDC), the factors: how well people abide by all the upcoming fall and winter are expected lessons we learned about staying home to have a similar number of hospitalwhen you’re sick, masking if you’re izations for respiratory diseases as last sick, getting your influenza vaccination, year. However, they say it’s important to but also the type of virus that’s circulatnote that these hospitalization numbers ing,” he says. are higher than before the COVID-19 The CDC says the 2023 Southern pandemic when the leading causes were Hemisphere flu vaccine reduced hospithe flu and RSV. talizations by 52%. If similar influenza Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., direc- virus strains spread in the Northern tor of the Clinical Virology Laboratory Hemisphere, the 2023-24 vaccine might at Mayo Clinic, says researchers in the provide equal protection. Northern Hemisphere look to the trends See Respiratory on 7
Tribune News Service According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the upcoming fall and winter are expected to have a similar number of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases as last year.
OSU builds international relationships Kennedy Thomason Department of English News & Lifestyle associate professor, said this program is helpful Editor in expanding OSU’s global presence. “The Occupational and Professional ProOSU has expandgram offers professional ed internationally. development opportuniTwelve Japanese teachers from the Kyoto ties that prepare global and Hyogo prefectures citizens for the future of work,” Link said. participated in the “When the call from OSU Department of the U.S. Embassy was English’s three-week program to teach them announced, the team English. The program, was well-positioned to funded by a grant from align our mission with the U.S. Department of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy State – U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s desire to enTokyo, was an effort hance English language to reimagine English education in Japan instruction at OSU. by teaching younger The program, generations to compete CLIC: Content, Lanin and contribute to the guage, Instruction global society.” Confluence, was held The City of July 23 through Aug. Stillwater and the 13. It is a result of the rebranding of the Eng- State of Oklahoma had lish Language Institute sister-city and sisterto the now English Lan- state relationships with guage and Intercultural Kyoto Prefecture and Kameoka City prior to Center, which was an effort taken after a dip OSU’s new initiatives. Amy Takebe, in numbers seen followCLIC program coordiing the pandemic. Another core initiative was nator, said Stillwater’s relationship with Kathe Occupational and meoka City was topProfessional program. Steph Link, CLIC of-mind when the grant was announced. program director and
See Relationships on 6
Courtesy of Botanical Gardens A variety of vendors attended GardenFest on Saturday, selling unique items such as hand-lettered stationary and freeze-dried candy.
OSU Botanic Garden hosts GardenFest Charley Van Newkirk Staff Reporter
Courtesy of OSU OSU’s CLIC program hopes to expand the English language in Japan.
Bob Bozarth, first-time vendor, said he couldn’t find his wife because she was too busy socializing with others at GardenFest. GardenFest was in full swing on Saturday at OSU’s Botanic Garden from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. as members of the Stillwater community gathered to support local business. For those in attendance, GardenFest had activities from mums
and pumpkins for sale, pumpkin painting, a bounce house, goat therapy, live music and food, with 30 vendors at the event ranging in selling pottery, jewelry, plants, woodwork and more. “I am a local small business, so I was really happy to find a local market to come and see all my Stillwater customers,” said owner of AP Letters Ashlyn Postier. Postier said she heard about the event through word of mouth from a fellow vendor. AP Letters hand letters and illustrates all of her products, from stationary to apparel. Postier supports other local
vendors while bringing the community to OSU. Though the event was open and free to all members of the community, OSU students came to spend their Saturday shopping around. OSU sophomore Ethan Nolan said it was a good study break to come and be outside for a bit with his roommate. Between the beautiful weather and seeing the fall spirit come around, Nolan said he’s ready for the fall season. “I think the botanic garden on campus is so relaxing to be at, I am happy to spend my Saturday here,” Nolan said. See GardenFest on 5