Tuesday delivered sharp contrasts for residents of the county as local elected leaders handed over a plan to the governor to lift COVID-19 restrictions even as eight new local cases were announced.

The eight new cases push the total number for Umatilla County to 45 and is a poignant — though unpleasant — reminder that while we all want to get back to normal as soon as possible, we may not be quite there yet.

The Umatilla County commissioners made the right move by submitting its plan to reopen the county. To move forward, a good, viable plan will be necessary. The new cases, though, indicate the virus isn’t fading away.

That isn’t the kind of news anyone wants to hear — especially as small businesses continue to struggle under the governor’s restrictions — but it’s the truth, and it means that all of us should refocus on the measures required to stop the spread.

The reality is that until the county can demonstrate it has flattened the curve, a green light from the governor isn’t likely.

So that means all of us must strive to continue to exercise social distancing. We need to wear masks. We need to ignore the normal urge to push ahead and drop the precautions that are proven to stop the spread. The governor’s “Stay Home Stay Safe” mandate is growing less popular every day. That’s a sentiment we can all understand.

But if we reopen too early and cases spike — which, based on the new cases, is a possibility — all the work and sacrifices we made over the past few weeks will be for nothing.

If there remains doubt regarding the best methods to overcome the virus through personal actions, residents should check out the CDC or Oregon Health Authority websites.

Impatience with the governor’s restrictions is understandable. And justified. We’ve all been cooped up for a while now and the urge to return to a semblance of normality is growing by the day.

Elected leaders and residents of the county face a troubling dichotomy. Businesses are in trouble because of the restrictions, but at the same time cases of the virus continue to grow.

Yet, we need to remember that, collectively, we are a robust, optimistic group. As Eastern Oregonians, we face and overcome challenges daily. We are not fearful people. And we are people who can, and do, strive to do the right thing always.

We want the county to reopen as soon as possible. But we want it done in a careful, methodical manner where the risk from more exposure to the COVID-19 virus can be minimized.