Flu season is here and more and more people across the country are getting sick. The American Red Cross urges people to get vaccinated now and offers tips everyone can follow to help prevent the spread of the flu.

The most important step someone can take is to get a flu vaccine. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older. Other steps people can take to help prevent the spread of the flu virus:

• Stay home if sick.

To the editor:

I want to take this opportunity to thank the college staff members for their hard work in clearing sidewalks and entry ways after winter weather came in Monday night, Jan. 27. Also I appreciated the timely phone message I received early Tuesday morning from the Campus Alert Network, saying the campus would open at 11 a.m.

I know the college wants to do everything it can to keep students and employees safe as we experience winter weather problems on campus.

To the Editor:

Birth defects are the most common cause of death in infants and the second most common cause of death in children ages 1 to 4 years.

More than 120,000 babies are born with a birth defect in the U.S. each year. Of those, about 2,000 cases are in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health notes that the risk for many types of birth defects can be reduced through healthy lifestyle choices and medical interventions before and during pregnancy.

To the editor:

Political smear campaigns are nothing new. Candidates seek to make themselves look better by making their opponent appear worse. Many voters are unaware of the political candidates except for what they see on television. In this respect it is a goldmine for opposing parties to focus on their rivals’ shortcomings and educate the voters on their character or lack thereof.

Character is an essential part to how political candidates are viewed. Without character there is nothing to recommend that a candidate fill the position of president. By degrading the character of the rival, a political candidate can possibly ruin the other’s hopes for presidency.

To the editor: The ban on tobacco products and their usage includes what is now known as vapors (E-Cigarettes). These vapors are not safe alternatives for the user or for the bystander despite the promotion that they are.

In recent weeks, more and more people have blatantly (and at times with a disregard for others) started using vapors indoors on campus.

That has gone unchallenged. For example, I have observed usage in meetings, classrooms, the library and the College Union.

To the Editor:

I am writing this in regards to the lettter to the editor about disabilities not always being apparent.

I too, have seen people with disabilities often made fun of.

I have a mental and learning disability (and) for years people said I could not do anything.

To the Editor:

The American Red Cross has launched its official Earthquake App, putting lifesaving information right in the hands of people who live in or who visit earthquake prone areas.

This free app — available in English or Spanish — is the third in a series created by the American Red Cross, the nation’s leader in emergency preparedness, for use on both iPhone and Android platforms.

The Earthquake App comes on the heels of the highly successful First Aid and Hurricane apps, which have been downloaded more than a million times.

In regards to the article that was written in the Sept. 28 issue of the Pioneer concerning “lazy” people who have been observed using the buttons to open doors or who use the handicapped stalls in the restrooms, but aren’t relying on crutches, canes or wheelchairs, allow me to share some information. This article, if left untouched, can create a hostile environment for students that is unnecessary and unwarranted.

The simple task of opening a door that is pressurized, such as the ones we have at OCCC, is extremely difficult if you are in acute pain or if you have difficulty maintaining your balance. Some students are suffering from non-physical, but equally debilitating illnesses such as [Obsessive Compulsive Disorder] and leaving home is a struggle every day. They may have no problem bumping the button with a fist, but touching a door handle could be unmanageable.

To the Editor:

Regarding the editorial in the Sept. 28 issue, titled “Able-bodied should stop being lazy” by Mitchell Richards:

I would like to thank you for your article regarding the misuse of the blue button!

Way too often I see perfectly able people use the service doors for no reason. Yes, perhaps when your hands are over full, but more often than not, it is just abuse.

    To the Editor: Regarding the editorial in the Sept. 28 issue, titled “Able-bodied should stop being lazy” by Mitchell Richards: I would like to thank you for your