Time for some new New Year’s resolutions.

People can still resolve to lose weight, stop smoking, spend more time with family, exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol. These are all worthy goals.

But we ask that people consider several new resolutions for 2021.

• Resolve to wear a mask in public.

• Resolve to keep socially distanced by at least six feet.

• Resolve to avoid large gatherings.

• Resolve to regularly wash hands with soap and hot water.

• Resolve to follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

• Resolve to stop seeing the pandemic as a political issue.

• Resolve to listen to health officials and scientists since the pandemic is a health-related emergency. 

• Resolve to get the vaccine when available and appropriate to get it.

For many people, many items on this list are neither resolutions nor something new. They are regular habits adopted months ago to curb the spread of the coronavirus, to protect themselves and to protect others.

Unlike the traditional habit of breaking a resolution, many people took to wearing masks, keeping distant and avoiding crowds as a solemn vow. A promise to do all within their power to mitigate the damage of COVID-19.

Many of us have lost so much in the past year — routines, opportunities, the comfort of visiting distant family, jobs. Many of us have lost friends and family to the pandemic. 

Many — too many — here, statewide, nationwide and around the world have lost their lives. 

So, resolving to wear masks, keeping distant, pledging to take a vaccine when available should not be viewed as a resolution to break in a few days or a week after the new year.

But rather as a sacred oath for the duration — to resolve to do what must be done for the time it takes to do it.