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Page IB - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, April 21, 2021 To Your H faith SPECIAL PHOTO Regular doctor visits for preventative care is important for overall health for people of all ages. Preventative care still important, even during a global pandemic Procrastination is not typically considered a good thing. But as the world spent much of 2020 confronting the CO- V1D-19 pandemic, putting certain things on hold became the new normal. It’s understandable that many people post poned preventive care and wellness visits during the pandemic, but it’s also potentially dangerous. For example, researchers with the Health Care Cost Insti tute found that childhood vaccinations declined by roughly 60 percent in mid- April 2020 compared with 2019. Other screenings and preventive exams, including mammograms, pap smears and colonos copies, also declined by significant percentages during the pandemic com pared to the previous year. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion notes the power of preventive care is undeniable. In fact, the NCCDPHP points out that, while chronic diseases are among the most common and costly of all health problems, they’re also among the most preventable. An nual wellness visits and early detection efforts like routine screenings for at-risk populations can uncover problems before they escalate into something more serious. In addition, annual physi cals, which are provided free of charge through many health insurance policies, provide great opportunities for doc tors to advise patients on their overall health and how to improve it. Patients can take cer tain steps to calm their nerves about booking preventive care appoint ments during the pan demic. • Schedule telemedi cine appointments. The number of telemedi cine appointments has skyrocketed during the pandemic. While the transition from predomi nantly in-person appoint ments to telemedicine might have been rocky one at the start of the pandemic, many doctors have since firmly estab lished their telemedicine protocols. The Mayo Clinic advises patients who have not yet tried telemedicine to contact their doctors’ offices to arrange an appointment. • Inquire about office procedures. Doctors try to keep patients healthy, not get them sick. Various medical orga nizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, have provided checklists to help physicians prepare their offices during the pandemic. Patients can ease concerns by con tacting their doctors’ offices and asking them about their pandemic- related protocols. • Don’t hesitate to make requests. Patients can work with their doc tors to calm their fears even further. Ask to pay copays over the phone and request that the front desk call you when the doctor is ready so you don’t have to sit in the waiting room. 1 SHEPHERDCARE i H O i P I C E Contact: Meredith Smith Director of Marketing 678-603-1321 "CARE" it's not just our name, it's our lifestyle! GRIFFIN OFFICE: 1501B Kalamazoo Dr., Griffin, GA 30224 THOMASTON OFFICE: 201 N. Church St., Thomaston, GA 30286 We service all surrounding counties to each office. www.ShepherdCareGA.com City Pharmacy Of Zebulon 460 Thomaston St, Zebulon, GA 30295 d 770-567-8844 Monday - Friday 8:30am-6pm Saturday 8:30am-1 2:30pm Sunday CLOSED UPSON Regional Medical Center Call Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm to schedule your FREE COVID-19 Vaccine Any Georgia resident aged 16+ is eligible. Upson Regional Medical Center 801 W. Gordon St. in Thomaston 706-646-5727 Upson Regional Barnesville Medical Office Building 100 Hwy 18 W in Barnesville 770-872-5015 Upson Regional Zebulon Medical Office Building 7171 Hwy 19 S in Zebulon 706-646-5727 Schedule your appointment today!