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If you’re anything like the people who work in our office, we know you’re probably yearning for life to get back to normal again.

Everyone wants to take a vacation, get outside and do something — anything — but sit in front of a television and watch reruns. The Spring is arguably the best time of year in Alabama and the weather is perfect.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has us all stopped in our tracks.

With all that said, everyone rightfully felt a little glimmer of hope on Tuesday when Gov. Kay Ivey announced the reopening of beaches, retail stores (at 50 percent capacity) and elective surgeries. It was the first step toward normalcy in a world that has been anything but over the last few months.

That’s why it pains us to write this next sentence.

Although things are starting to open, we ask you to fight the urge to get back into a normal routine. There’s a reason Ivey named her order the “safer at home” order, meaning that some things are open, but if you don’t have to go out then don’t go out.

The coronavirus is still spreading in the United States. As a country, we hit the 1 million mark on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. In Chambers County, our death rate per 100,000 residents remains one of the highest in the nation.

At some point, life will return to some form of normalcy. The beaches will be packed, the stores will be packed and the interstate will be as busy as ever.

But now is not that time.

Fight the urge to go congregate in a big crowd — which is still prohibited by the way — and spend a few more weeks mostly indoors. It’s going to be amazing when we’re able to all get together again, something that felt so normal just a few long weeks ago, but it’s not time yet.

Stick to the plan, so that we can all get back to everyday life sooner than later.