It might take a few stumbles for us all to learn to deal with virus

We might as well admit it: Many of us have been acting like recalcitrant children when it comes to the basics of dealing with this pesky pandemic.

We understand why... it's inconvenient to wear a mask. It's equally inconvenient to wash your hands through two recitations of the ABC song, to frequently sanitize your work site fixtures, and to refrain from gathering with groups of people from outside your immediate households.

But none of those inconveniences is anywhere near the bother of being infected with COVID-19 and being symptomatic. They're not even as inconvenient as having the virus and having to be quarantined two weeks. And don't forget the inconvenience you're causing others if you're asymptomatic and you unwittingly spread the disease to others, some of whom are, perhaps, already dealing with health issues that put them at greater risk.

We recently decided to take advantage of the re-openings here in Yuba-sutter. It was eye-opening. We went first to a downtown restaurant that takes the issue seriously. Signs instruct you to wait outside the door for an employee to come out and seat you. Since that restaurant/bar has conformed to restrictions on halving capacity, there's a wait. Employees are wearing masks and orders are taken from six feet away.

We didn't wish to wait, though we hold that restaurant in high esteem and will patronize them accordingly in the future.

We went to another area eatery/bar. We walked in with masks on, and got some stares -- we were the only ones masked. No other patrons we saw were wearing masks. Not a single employee was masked. There wasn't much regard for distancing.

Due to the dramatic increases in confirmed cases in Yuba-sutter in the past week or two, officials report it's pretty likely that our permission to have some businesses open will be rolled back. It seems possible that Colusa County is in the same boat. Glenn County is on the governor's list of counties to watch and consider reinstatement of restrictions.

In addition to blaming the disregard for the basics of distancing, masking, sanitizing, officials are citing the tendency we have to gather in groups.

It's hard to stick with it. It goes against our natures. But sacrifices need to be made, if we want to make progress.

It's unfortunate and unfair that the effort exhibited at restaurant No. 1 is canceled out by the recalcitrance of Restaurant No. 2.

It's not just bars/restaurants, of course. Other businesses and all of us as individuals have roles to play.

It's likely that we'll go back and forth a bit, having restrictions eased then reinstated. Let's all try to stick with it next time around.