Stephen N. McHaney

A significant milestone in our experience with COVID-19 was reached last week: The United States surpassed 100,000 deaths related to the virus.

It was reached in just four months. The nation’s death toll has continued rising, and as this is written Tuesday it’s now at more than 104,000.

While we question whether such a high price was inevitable and if quicker, more decisive action might have saved lives, now it is time to look to the future and how we get there from here.

In the beginning of the pandemic, the goal was to flatten the curve and protect the most vulnerable among us. We were told shutdowns and social distancing were necessary to slow the spread and avoid overwhelming our nation’s health care system with those in need of critical care. We had to be sure those who became ill were able to get treatment they needed.

In New York and elsewhere, we saw what an overwhelmed health care system looks like. In East Texas, though, we are fortunate to be in an area that’s not so densely populated, a fact that provided us with some measure of cushion from the start.

While New York and other parts of the world showed how real the danger can be, our experience has shown this is a battle we can fight and win. It also showed that the response cannot be the same everywhere. A one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate.

Regardless of where we are, it has become clear the virus is not going away, and that means we must learn to live in this new world. We also have learned our area’s medical centers have the capacity to handle the COVID-19 case load if we keep them at levels reached through the precautions we’ve had in place.

This does not mean we have won, but it does mean we have had some success in this fight. While it’s important for all of us to continue reasonable social distancing, wearing masks in public and washing our hands any chance we get, we also need to learn how to live again.

Unfortunately, there is no date when the danger of COVID-19 will magically disappear. That means we all must continue doing our part so that when someone does get sick, adequate medical services will be available for them.

This is not the binary decision of simply saying “reopen everything” or “keep everything closed.” It is all the in-between.

It is every one of us realizing we must do our part and that our individual situation is not exactly like someone else’s. It is always remembering to be respectful of other individuals and their situations. They may be at heightened risk from the virus, or they may have someone living in their home who is more susceptible, and so are taking extra precautions. They may be in a situation where they have to go back to work to earn a living, so they cannot stay home any longer and may be taking on more risk. That makes it the responsibility of each of one of us to help reduce the risks they face. It is selfishness to do otherwise, no matter how much we wish our world was back to normal.

As each of us determines what this new world means for us, please remember to keep doing your part for your neighbors as well. Only then can we all get back to living.