Here’s why putting off medical appointments may be as harmful to your health as COVID-19.
During the pandemic, we ’ ve all spent less time with people in our lives, from family, friends and co-workers to flight attendants and the servers at our favorite restaurant. But one of the relationships that has suffered the most is the important doctor-patient one. The trouble started in March 2020, when the country was mostly in lockdown due to the coronavirus. By June 2020, more than 40% of U.S. adults had avoided or delayed medical care, including routine checkups, immunizations, non-emergency procedures and cancer screenings. And many people still haven ’ t found their way back to rescheduling important medical appointments. Hospitals and physicians ’ offices canceled many early appointments, with the goal of saving providers ’ time and personal protective equipment for fighting the virus. Patients also canceled visits, citing reasons like not wanting to leave home, losing their job (and subsequently their health insurance) and being worried about catching the virus from another patient or a health care worker. Chronic conditions won ’ t wait. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic conditions need to be seen regularly by their doctor in order to monitor symptoms and tweak medications and their overall treatment plan. If you ’ re still worried about any risk, ask your doctor about a virtual visit. Telemedicine appointments are often a good alternative to seeing your doctor in person.
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