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Ohio health officials are rightly advising caution to those who might believe we are finally showing COVID-19 the door in the Buckeye State. We are making strides, but the fight is not yet over.

“While there’s no doubt we are quickly moving in the right direction, it’s simply too early for us to declare victory given the reality that thousands of Ohioans are still being diagnosed with COVID-19 each and every day,” said Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff.

The good news: the rate of hospitalizations is falling, and 57% of Ohio’s population is now fully vaccinated. The bad news: that hospitalization rate is still just over 2,800 patients, Ohio’s 21-day average for new COVID-19 cases still sits at approximately 8,675, and 34,592 people have died. There are still people dying every day.

“It’s certainly not the time for us to let our guard down,” Vanderhoff said.

No, this is the time to double our efforts. If we are headed in the right direction, the last thing we should do is retreat.

Ohioans who have not already done so should get vaccinated or boosted. We should continue to wear our masks, stay distanced, wash and sanitize our hands, stay home (and get tested) if we are sick … we all know the drill by now.

If we’re tired of it, all the more reason to keep fighting so as to speed our return to normal.