From a public health perspective, there is no more important step that the residents of the Highlands and Cashiers Plateau could take now than to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This simple act, along with continuing to practice the “3 Ws” — washing hands frequently, wearing a mask, and waiting six feet apart — is proving to be pivotal in reversing the course of the pandemic and regaining a sense of normality. Imagine having a small group of vaccinated people in your home who are from outside your immediate household, attending a performance, eating out, or simply hugging a vaccinated friend or family member again. This is an accurate picture of the future if the United States reaches a state of herd immunity, or when such a great number of citizens are vaccinated that the spread of the virus is prevented to a large extent.