“Do you have your mask?” All over Oregon there are people asking this like it’s a mantra every time someone they live with leaves the house. We walk down the street and step out of the way if we see someone coming, and we wait patiently to grab our box of tea off the shelf because someone is nearby trying to find their favorite blend of chai. Many folks in Oregon have been working hard to take care of each other.

As more and more of us are getting vaccinated, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter, but we’re still not out of the tunnel. Even though we may be tired of this diligence, once again we’re seeing rates of COVID-19 cases climb higher and hospitalizations increase in Oregon.

Let’s continue to make the choice to keep each other, and ourselves, safe from COVID-19.

This article first appeared in the April 6, 2021 issue of Oregon Coronavirus Update.