We read with great concern reporter Crystal Nelson’s story in today’s edition that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers Alpena County a place of “substantial risk” for community spread of the coronavirus.

We have made important strides — most importantly, 56% of Alpena County residents, 56% of Alcona County residents, 54% of Montmorency County residents, and a fantastic 61% of Presque Isle County residents have received the full round of vaccination against COVID-19.

That has helped push the total number of actively infected Northeast Michiganders — a News estimate based on cumulative infections minus deaths and those still living 30 days after getting infected, the CDC measurement of “recovered” — to the lowest point since mid-October.

But we still reported 13 newly infected Northeast Michiganders last week, and, after weeks of plummeting, that active infections count has slowed.

That’s pushed Alpena County into the list of places where the CDC recommends folks mask up indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC labeled Alcona County a moderate risk and Presque Isle and Montmorency counties low risk.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday she doesn’t expect to reinstate any mandates, but she urged residents who haven’t yet done so to get inoculated.

We join her in that push.

Public health experts say at least 70% of the population should be fully vaccinated before we could consider the pandemic over. They also say the continued spread of the virus — happening almost exclusively among the unvaccinated — could allow the virus to mutate into a new variation vaccines can’t fight.

If you haven’t yet and you’re medically able to do so, we urge you to get yourself and your family vaccinated. It is the best way to protect yourself and others, and it may be the only way we can truly end this pandemic.