There is more to worry about than the current crisis. After covid hit, patients stayed away from hospitals and clinics for fear of catching the coronavirus. Many people put off routine screenings. Delaying care, whether screening or procedures, leads to patients’ conditions growing worse. Already in my practice, I am seeing more advanced cancers than I have ever seen before. A study of seniors published last November found a decrease in screenings for breast, colon, prostate and lung cancers last year from 2019 levels. There were also fewer biopsies, surgeries and office visits.

When people avoid or delay preventive care, the result is a strain later on our health-care system. And as hospitals again fill with covid patients, there is less and less room to treat others — a dangerous cycle.

We are all struggling to regain a sense of normalcy — and eager to resume living life without social distancing and shutdowns. The single most powerful weapon to help end the pandemic is at our fingertips: the amazingly effective coronavirus vaccines that have been given to almost 200 million Americans with limited side effects or complications.