The string of double digit increases in COVID-19 cases in Brown County this past week has brought us to 462 laboratory confirmed cases, more than double the number recorded on Oct. 1. The county also recorded its fourth COVID-19 victim, a person in their 90s on Thursday.

Concerned people keep asking, “What’s causing this? Where is this coming from?” but Brown County Public Health has found no “spreader” event. This is simply a matter of people relaxing their COVID-19 precautions, going out more, hanging out with friends, not worrying about wearing a mask for a short trip into a convenience store, not keeping a safe six-foot distance from others out in public.

It cannot be stressed enough that we, the people, have to take responsibility for keeping this virus from spreading. You can’t blame the president for not wearing a mask. We’ve all heard countless times that masks save lives. We have to decide to wear them. We have to avoid crowds, keep a safe distance in public, wash our hands frequently and thoroughly.

We have the information we need on how to stay safe. We have to take the responsibility to act on it.