Last week, President Trump said it is up to the states on when they want to remove restrictions due to COVID-19. In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock has imposed a shelter-in-place order through Friday, April 24, when he will re-evaluate the situation.

The spread of coronavirus has slowed in Montana. March 26 was the day with the most new cases in the state. That number has slowly gone down. Not because the virus is less contagious, but because Montanans are doing the right thing by social distancing and staying home.

We're ready for things to get back to normal, just like everyone else. We're ready for all businesses and hours to go back to normal, for people to be back in their jobs, and to be able to hug our friends and families.

However, there's a very real possibility that when restrictions are eased, another wave of the virus will hit not only cities, but our rural areas. If the restrictions are removed or reduced, remember to keep practicing social distancing and washing your hands and doing what you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.