CINCINNATI (WKRC) – As the number of COVID-19 cases across the country drops, many are wondering if that means we are getting back to normal or getting to enough immunity to stop the spread.

In all but just five states -- Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan and Pennsylvania -- the number of COVID cases are dropping. Those who track these trends said this is a good sign for several reasons, and it may mean we are closer to herd immunity.

“If people have a certain level of immunity, if people have been vaccinated or have had COVID before, they may not be able to keep the infection going. So, I think we are starting to see that herd immunity,” said Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum, a University of Cincinnati researcher.

That doesn’t mean, however, we can get rid of all precautions against COVID-19 in the community.

“What is hard to predict is will there be any other variants that emerge and also how long does our immunity last?” Dr. Fichtenbaum said.

The current vaccines appear to cover most of the variants we have seen so far, including the dominant strain that testing shows appears to be circulating in most states right now.

“It’s pretty much all delta, I think we are 99.9% delta variant that comes through our laboratory,” said JP Canner, vice president of regulatory, clinical and research programs at Gravity Diagnostics.

To keep up this kind of herd protection, more vaccinations in younger people as approval is granted could make a difference. Early treatment with therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, which help reduce viral load, could make a difference.

“This drug is targeted to those who have mild to moderate disease, who don’t require oxygen and who have a laboratory-confirmed test,” said Alicia Gesenhues, coordinator of the COVID monoclonal antibody administration center at St. Elizabeth Healthcare.

The colder months ahead still have health care providers concerned because it forces everyone indoors more often. That makes it harder to avoid close contact.