While the COVID-19 pandemic and global health emergency has ended, the virus itself is here to stay.

We encourage everyone to use some commonsense and extend common courtesy.

We are not doctors or scientists, but we do listen to doctors and scientists.

Fortunately, the virus is not as deadly nor as contagious as it once was, but that does not mean people do not get it. A few still die.

Public health officials say we do not need to wear a mask everywhere we go and that there is no threat of shutting down the economy or having to practice extreme mitigation measures.

Before you say none of those things were ever needed, remember a million Americans died. More than 35,000 people in Georgia died.

Now, three years later, many are fully vaccinated, most people have had COVID at least once with some getting very sick and others barely having any symptoms. The virus itself has mutated numerous times with weaker strains not causing the most severe cases.

We will likely continue to see cases ebb and flow.

We liked the optimism of Dr. Brian Dawson, chief medical officer of South Georgia Medical Center, when he said, “I’m always cautious about speculation. But what I will say is that as an organization, South Georgia Medical Center is poised to deal with any potential spikes that may occur so that we can be prepared to care for those patients if need be.”

We also appreciate the pragmatism of Kristin Patten, public information officer and risk communicator for the South Health District of the GDPH, who said, “The end of the Public Health Emergency doesn’t mean that COVID-19 is over. However, now that we have safe and effective vaccines, ample testing infrastructure and most people have some level of immunity due to vaccination or infection, COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency.”

Dawson and Patten shared some solid, reasonable recommendations for managing exposure to COVID-19 in this new environment.

Patten said, “The CDC continues to recommend that everyone stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations. We also want to encourage anyone who is exhibiting symptoms to get tested and to please stay home until they are feeling well again.”

In addition, Dawson recommends that we all practice personal hygiene, stay up to date on vaccinations, distance from others when possible, wash our hands and cover our cough.

Just some common courtesy and a bit of commonsense can go a long way toward keeping us all more healthy.