Despite promising news on vaccines, the pandemic continues its grip on Missouri and the St. Louis region. Our state reported 6,346 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the most by far since the pandemic began in March. The COVID-created health and economic challenges are likely to persist for months to come, experts say. The only thing that remains unknown is how we as a region and a state will react to it.

Last week, the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force and the Missouri Hospital Association separately called on state officials to provide greater leadership on pandemic issues, including support for a statewide mask mandate and creation of “safer-at-home” programs to slow or stop the spread of infection.

Hospital admissions have typically followed spikes in new cases by about two weeks, doctors across the country have reported. As hospitals in the St. Louis region already grapple with “unsustainable” levels of COVID-19 cases, doctors worry that the worst is yet to come. “At that point, we would not have the capacity we need to sufficiently care for our patients. Not just COVID patients, but all patients,” said Dr. Alex Garza, an emergency medicine physician and chairman of the pandemic task force.

Gov. Mike Parson has repeatedly said that while he does not support a statewide mask mandate, “It is imperative that Missourians take personal responsibility and social distance, wear a mask, practice personal hygiene and limit their gatherings.”

Some may see tradeoffs: supporting our economy or taking on the virus. But that’s a false dichotomy. Both issues must be addressed together. Only then will the economy be able to resume growing and the health and well-being of Missourians be best supported.

The St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition (BHC) commends the work of the Pandemic Taskforce and hospital leaders and our local elected officials as they mobilize to stop the spread of the virus.  Like others, BHC would like to put these problems in our past. To do this, we must slow the spread of infection now, to avoid overwhelming hospitals and health care providers during the weeks to come.

Aligned leadership from state and regional officials is important, but it is absolutely crucial that citizens lead the way. The ask of us is really simple: Mask up, wash your hands frequently, take care of your health, and limit social gatherings to those in your personal bubble.

In St. Louis County, new restrictions went into effect on November 17. But parts of Missouri with the highest rates of new infections are currently rural, sparely populated counties where no mask mandates are in place and where basic infection control practices are rarely publicly practiced. Counties with the highest rates of new cases as of Monday morning were Gentry, Perry, and Moniteau, where case rates are about double that of St. Louis County. Jefferson and St. Charles counties also had higher rates than St. Louis County.

Heading into winter, the stakes are high for everyone in our region and across our state. We recognize that small businesses and restaurants are hurting. But allowing the virus to continue spreading unchecked will only prolong the pain and, in a very literal sense, the suffering of those who become infected.

We should all be doing what we can to support those small businesses, and to thank the thousands of health care workers in our communities who have put their personal lives on hold to battle against the virus on the front lines.

Most of all, we have to work together defeat this virus. The choice is in everyone’s hands.