“Now that the COVID pandemic is easing.…Yes, it’s safe to go for checkups again—these are the most important ones to get on your calendar.”
The following written content by Claire Gillespie
For more than a year, COVID-19 has largely confined people to their homes and shut down schools, stores, and businesses. The pandemic isn’t over, of course. But thanks to the vaccine, normal life is starting to gradually return—and doctors’ offices that were closed or offered only limited services for the past year are opening back up.
You’re not alone if you’ve skipped your regular checkups this past year. According to a survey of 1,093 Americans from TIME-Harris Poll, 78% have put off at least one medical service during the past three months, 30% have skipped their dental exam, and 27% missed their annual checkup. Even those who make their health a priority have let things slide. In a recent survey by Meredith, the parent company of Health, less than half of women who identify as “health enthusiasts” reported keeping on top of their doctor’s appointments.
If you haven’t seen your doctors in over a year except for COVID-related issues, it’s time to get them on your calendar. These are the doctor appointments that are most important, according to physicians. If you’re concerned about the safety of going to your doctor’s office, contact the office to ask what precautions they’re taking, Richard Seidman, MD, MPH, chief medical officer at L.A. Care Health Plan, tells Health.
1. Ob-gyn checkup
2. Mammogram/breast cancer screening
3. Primary-care physician visit
4. Dental check/teeth cleaning
5. Dermatology skin check
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