With few exceptions, Connecticut eliminated COVID restrictions on May 19. Earlier this month, restrictions on bars and outdoor activities were loosened, and the CDC offered new guidelines for the fully vaccinated. Summer, it appears, will be in full swing.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for — or is it? It is the fully vaccinated who can grab the golden ring of normalcy, as visualized in the CDC chart found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/pdfs/choosingsaferact.pdf (which can be interpreted as an incentive for the unvaccinated).

More than 50% of adults in our state are at least partially vaccinated, but there remains a large percentage who are not. There is a population that cannot be vaccinated due to medical issues or age. The youngest of our citizens do not yet have a vaccine approved for use. Bearing that in mind, common sense must be a personal guideline as we leap into the future.

There no doubt will be those who disregard the science of vaccination; and no way of knowing if other safe practices have been discarded along with the masks. The potential for spreading or contracting COVID-19 remains, particularly settings in which where you may find yourself uncomfortably close to strangers: think stadiums and bars. It is a conundrum for each person, with even experts divided on the wisdom of eased restrictions as announced by the CDC.

Practicing respect for others now is as important as any other safe practices we have embraced. Individuals may have different comfort levels as we ease back into society. Businesses may continue to request cooperation as they see fit; by choosing consideration for others over our own viewpoints, being safe rather than sorry, we will reach that point where COVID-19 is regarded much the same as we now view the flu or other infectious diseases.

Current science tells us that outdoor gatherings are the safest venues; the virus disperses quickly in open air, lessening the risk of infecting others. Why not avoid crowded indoor venues where physical distancing is not possible, for just a little longer — or at least keep that mask handy? Let’s continue to take small steps, avoiding a return to lockdowns and restrictions as recently experienced in western states. Remember the adage, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” We finally have a handle on this pandemic; we do not want to get “behinder.” A careless return to our old ways will negate our hard efforts.

Understandably, the COVID-fatigued among us are anxious for a prepandemic mode of normality. We long to be rid of reminders of the past year-plus. We envision a world that is fearless in the fading face of a pandemic. A summer spent awakening slowly, however, in a safer, natural environment than those spaces that push us too closely together, too soon, will move us forward.

The virus and variants still hold sway worldwide, and vaccination rates are plateauing. Sensible personal choices made now will truly make this the moment for which we have been waiting.