Butler is one of 13 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania that will be lifted from the stay-at-home order and partially reopen for business Friday.

It seems like forever since we were told to self-isolate unless absolutely necessary.

It also seems like forever that most businesses in the county were forced to shutter their doors as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Beginning Friday, Butler and the other counties moving from the red phase to the yellow phase can have gatherings of no more than 25 people. Some businesses, like child care centers, can start operating again.

But social distancing is required, and face coverings are preferred.

In yellow counties, restaurants and bars still can only fulfill carryout or delivery orders. Retail businesses can reopen, though curbside or delivery service is recommended. Movie theaters and other indoor entertainment venues remain closed, and nail and hair salons, barbershops, and massage therapists cannot reopen in the yellow phase.

We understand the importance of getting the economy back to some sort of normalcy. We’ve earned it.

Jobless numbers for the state and nation have been staggering since the virus hit. Thirty million Americans filed for unemployment in the past six weeks. Millions of people are out of work and struggling to put food on the table.

Economic experts say many businesses won’t survive the pandemic, and most businesses are itching to reopen.

We also understand that most of us have been cooped up in our homes for two months and are suffering from coronavirus fatigue

But we urge caution. We’re not out of the woods yet.

Health experts warn we could be battling COVID-19 for months.

A second round of cases is “inevitable” come fall, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor said, as people increasingly try to resume regular life and more states ease or lift their stay-at-home orders.

“I’m almost certain it will come back, because the virus is so transmissible, and it’s globally spread,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci last week.

Americans could be in for “a bad fall and a bad winter” if the country is unprepared, said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

We won’t be rid of this pandemic until an effective vaccine is developed. That could take months.

So please, don’t throw out your masks or let your personal hygiene habits slide as more of us venture back into public after months of being holed up in our homes.

We must stay vigilante to remain safe. We’ve played by the rules so far and have seen cases in our county stabilize. Let’s keep it up.

Do it to protect your neighbors.

Do it to protect your families.

Do it to protect yourself.