Just last month we lived in a much simpler time. We knew our daily routines, our regular schedules; minor upsets were handled with grace. But as Rabbi Sholom Deitsch of Chabad Jewish Center in Ridgefield reminded us in a message sent last week, the only certainty in life, is uncertainty.

It is the uncertainty of the invisible novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that is throwing the proverbial wrench in everyone’s plans. Schools, houses of worship, playgrounds, bars and restaurants, and gathering places have put activities on hold until this scourge is erased. It has created complications as home and work life demands collide, as well as caused a social void. Anxiety is as crippling as the virus we are trying to contain.

COVID-19 is a daily evolving challenge that can only be met with the adherence to the strategic orders of those in charge. This is not a time for second-guessing. Local and state officials can be trusted to rise above any political differences to deliver the facts that will help us move through an unfamiliar, unnerving situation.

Who is at risk; how are they being assisted? What can individuals do to protect themselves and their families from an illness not yet fully understood? When is it safe to return to usual activities, when is it prudent to curtail activities?

Where can citizens find fact-based answers? You will find them at ct.gov/coronavirus and in The Newtown Bee each week, indeed, each day, as the response demands. At newtownbee.com, the paper is working with town officials to post not only up-to-date information, but to create brief, informative videos with knowledgeable officials, including First Selectman Dan Rosenthal and Health District Director Donna Culbert.

The print edition includes this verified information, accurate as far as the publication date allows. As new information is received, stories online are updated to provide the most timely facts with which we are provided. We encourage all who may need to make changes to schedules to contact shannon@thebee.com or call the newspaper at 203-426-3141.

While The Newtown Bee prides itself on hyperlocal coverage, this is a time when news at regional, state, and national levels can impact our town. When it does, you will find it here.

You may not see our reporters and editors out and about as much as usual, as we are adhering the best we can to recommendations to social distance. Be assured, though, we are here for you, reporting the news on this threat to the community, as well as reminding you of the good news. Being educated and proactive is a comfort for those who may feel a lack of control over this situation. News from a trusted source can be empowering in stressful times.

When this crisis passes, and if “nothing” has happened, we can congratulate ourselves for having succeeded in that goal: for nothing to have happened.

It will also be a time to praise the many who responded in a manner that was courageous and confident.

For now, we need a unified front to confront an issue that has no personal agenda. That is what will help us through this unexpected challenge and make us stronger for the next challenge that comes our way.

Of that, we are certain.