It's been a few months since President Donald Trump issued the National Emergency proclamation for the C19 epidemic. It is now July and many of these social distancing practices have become common place and as a result, we, as a people, have become common place.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) cases in the United States of America have risen by 44,361 confirmed cases and 235 new deaths within the 24 hour period of my writing this article. Of those, 38,517 confirmed cases belong to Washington state, along with a whooping 624 deaths. And take note, those are the confirmed cases alone. It is estimated that the actual numbers may be much higher due to lack of testing or lack of awareness,since the symptoms can be mistaken for the common cold or influenza virus.

So, let's take a moment to check in and remember that social distancing does have a great part to play in these numbers. The good news is that while confirmed cases are rising,it appears that deaths are falling as we learn more about the disease and what it does to the body.

The bad news? Contact tracing is extremely difficult in a country as big as the United States and with the incubation period for the C19 virus being as long as it is, our data of confirmed cases and deaths are at least two weeks behind, if not a month. So as the summer weather begins to be more and more tempting for all of us, please refresh your memory of the CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of the disease, as hard as it may be.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay informed.