It’s time to see the doctor again

It’s been just over a year since COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic. And it’s been challenging for all of us — from the children who were attending school virtually to older people who are among the most susceptible to the coronavirus. We’ve all had our struggles.

As a nurse, I know that many patients put off seeing a doctor for the entirety of the pandemic, fearing that they could catch COVID-19. These include patients with serious conditions that require an in-person visit to fully understand the best course of treatment. Others put off elective surgeries.

Placing check-ups and surgeries on hold during the pandemic made sense at the time, as hospitals were fully dedicated to fighting COVID-19, but now is the time to go back to your local hospital and clinic and get the care you need. This also applies to patients who have delayed treatment for mental health and substance abuse, which has worsened during this pandemic.

Hospitals, frontline workers and medical professionals put their lives on hold over the past year to help us in the fight against COVID-19. Now that there is hope on the horizon, I urge anyone who needs medical treatment to get it.

This doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. You must still mask up and get vaccinated when it’s your turn. But as we look to turn the tide against COVID-19, I want to encourage all of those awaiting medical treatment to go and get your health taken care of. Catherine Prato, Las Vegas