Iowa is facing its darkest days right now, and it's not because the clocks rolled back an hour this month.

COVID-19 infections are through the roof, hospitalizations are at an all-time high and medical personnel are stretched thin. The situation has grown desperate in the Hawkeye State, and that fact was made clear Monday by the governor's new order. Gov. Kim Reynolds had pushed back against a strict mask mandate for eight months but was left with little choice but to ramp up restrictions. We simply aren't in a good spot.

Everyone is suffering from pandemic fatigue right now, but Iowans mustn't waiver. With hospitals full and the holidays looming, we need to double down and control what we can. That means shelving big Thanksgiving gatherings and wearing a mask in public. It means working from home when you can, and staying in when you'd rather be out. This year has been anything but fun, but we're left with little choice but to stay the course.

This state's health care system is on life support. With COVID units packed and ICUs full, our nurses, doctors and EMTs need our help to ease the burden. Nobody likes the new restrictions put forth by the governor, but it's time to suck it up so we can lessen the load. The Midwest is absolutely shackled by coronavirus and we must all do our part.

There is some light at this seemingly never-ending tunnel of darkness. This past week brought positive news on the vaccine front, with two showing more than 90 percent effective rates in trials. If that's not enough to get people to hold firm and weather the storm, nothing is.

Our way of life has been ravaged by coronavirus. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have died because of this dreadful virus, and many more will succumb to it by the end of the year. Admittedly, you can only beat a dead horse so much by telling people to social distance, wear masks in public and follow other simple protocols. Let's all do our part by following the governor's orders so we can get back to normal as soon as possible. Failing to do so will only exacerbate a bad situation and lead to even darker days than the ones we're struggling through today.

We can't get past this pandemic if only a portion of the population takes it seriously. Mask up, stay away from each other and do your part. The governor repeatedly says she trusts Iowans to do the right thing. Now more than ever, it's time to show her we're worthy of that trust.