Wow, that didn’t take long. It was only a handful of very short weeks ago that we were able to report in this space that the pandemic seemed to be winding down here and pretty much elsewhere.

Fewer cases were being reported, fewer hospitalizations, pretty much everything across the board was looking positive.

As the old saying goes, “that was then and this is now.”

According to a Mining Journal story Saturday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has moved Marquette County into its community level classification of high risk for COVID-19 transmission and infection, the Marquette County Health Department announced on Friday.

The story noted MCHD said that in Marquette County, reported cases of COVID-19 have risen by 44% in the past two weeks.

Data used to support this increase is limited and actual cases are likely much higher due to underreported cases from home testing.

So here we are again, joining local health department officials in urging the following behaviors:

– Wear a mask indoors and on public transportation.

– Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

– Get tested if you have symptoms.

– Stay home if you are sick or are recommended to isolate or quarantine.

– If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your health care provider about taking other precautions, and ask your health care provider about whether you are a candidate for COVID-19 treatments or preventative therapies.

We can beat COVID-19 but it’s apparently going to take even more of what we’ve been doing.

We’re not out of the woods just yet.

— The Mining Journal, Marquette