You may have noticed that people around the world have become a bit lax regarding COVID-19 restrictions. With many U.S. states reopening activities that seemed foreign back in April—getting a haircut or going to the gym—you might be wondering where we stand in terms of the virus.

According to Trump Task Force Member Dr. Deborah Birx, we’re in a “new phase” of the pandemic, and it’s more important than ever to take things seriously…or else we’re in for trouble.

“What we are seeing today is different from March and April. It is extraordinarily widespread. It’s into the rural as equal urban areas,” Birx said. “This epidemic right now is different and it’s more widespread and it’s both rural and urban.”

She went on to say that now’s the time to really practice social distancing and mask-wearing—even potentially in your own home.

“To everybody who lives in a rural area, you are not immune or protected from this virus,” Birx said. “If you’re in multi-generational households, and there’s an outbreak in your rural area or in your city, you need to really consider wearing a mask at home, assuming that you’re positive if you have individuals in your households with comorbidities.”

Dr. Birx added that it’s especially important for people in “hot spots”—aka the southern and western states. “It’s not super spreading individuals, it’s super spreading events and we need to stop those. We definitely need to take more precautions,” Birx said.

To hear more on Dr. Birx’s stance, including how many deaths we might see by the end of the year and her thoughts on reopening schools, check out the video below.

Do you agree or disagree about Dr. Birx’s thoughts regarding the COVID-19 pandemic? How are you helping to limit the spread of coronavirus in your community?