On Tuesday, news of a sad milestone — the COVID-19 death toll has reached 1 million in the United States — ran on the front page of the Butler Eagle.

It served as a sad reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is still here, and is still unfortunately a pandemic — not an epidemic.

Though conversations have happened and officials have hinted that the pandemic could become an epidemic, that official change is yet to happen.

The main difference between a pandemic and an epidemic is the spread of the virus. A pandemic is a disease that spreads across several countries and continents. So even in the event of a shift to an epidemic, COVID-19 still remains a threat.

Nevertheless, it’s a milestone we are eager to see and milestone that we would much rather report on than the milestone of 1 million deaths related to the disease.

In that Tuesday story, we were reminded that three out of every four deaths due to COVID-19 have been those age 65 or older. Those who were most affected and remain most vulnerable still today are the elderly.

Of course, we cannot live in constant fear of the virus, but we should respect it. COVID-19 is still here and has led to more than a million deaths across the United States in the past 2.5 years. That’s 1 million people who were loved by someone. Those deaths have broken many families and many hearts.

Again, at 2.5 years in, we cannot let COVID-19 control our lives, but we should consider how our actions affect other people. Perhaps, if you want to go to a concert, go — but don’t visit your grandparents or volunteer at a nursing home two days later.

Alongside the story about that bleak milestone on Tuesday, another story about the virus also ran on the cover of the Butler Eagle. That story told of nursing home residents remembering those who have died from the virus.

Residents of Newhaven Court at Clearview planted a tree to remember other residents who died of COVID-19 and to commend its staff members for their work during the pandemic.

It’s a way the staff and residents will remember the impact of the effects of the pandemic — especially the lives lost in the earliest months when little was known about the virus — as nursing home residents were among the most affected by COVID-19.

So as we look forward to summertime gatherings, celebrations and more, remember that COVID-19 still exists.

We know much more about COVID now than 2.5 years ago. With this knowledge, comes confidence. It helps us to understand and not fear the virus. That’s a good thing. We couldn’t and shouldn’t shutter up our houses and live hiding from COVID-19 forever, but we should remain mindful of the virus and be considerate when interacting with the most vulnerable populations.

— TL