Are we in for new lockdown?

From John L. Micek, Editor, Pennsylvania Capital-Star Good Saturday Morning, all. It’s been a sobering week. The United States cleared 3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19. After a lull, the death toll has again begun to rise in some states. And we’ve found ourselves in an intense debate over how to safely send our children back to school this fall. In Pennsylvania. on Friday, the state hit a grim milestone, as it reported 1,000 new cases, the largest single-day toll in two months.  All this raises a new question, could we be looking at Lockdown Mark II? It’s too soon to say, of course. But we have seen some states retreat from their reopening plans as they deal with a spike in cases. Closer to home, in Allegheny County, officials hit the pause button on indoor dining. And as CNN points out, there is an argument to be made for localized lockdowns as we enter the most complicated phase of the pandemic.  Taken together, it’s a reminder that we’re nowhere out of the woods yet. And, as we’ve said before, just like the ancient Spartans (borrowing from someone else) we can’t drop our shields. Each of us depends on the other to safeguard public health. That means observing social distancing guidelines and wearing a mask when you’re out in public. Is it an inconvenience? Perhaps. But that scarcely matters. It’s in the service of a greater good.  As ever, take care — and be kind to each other. John L. Micek, Editor