CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- There's a hidden impact of COVID-19 and it's the impact it has on cancer. Thousands of cancer cases are simply not being detected because people are putting off going to the doctor.

"What we’ve noticed is that cancer screenings have dropped to almost zero at the beginning of the pandemic," said Dr. Lisa Richardson, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.

According to Dr. Robert Carlson, the CEO of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, individuals who are not seeking care are dying prematurely.

"We’re seeing for instance fewer heart attacks being diagnosed (and fewer strokes being diagnosed) and fewer cancers being diagnosed. It’s not because those diseases or conditions are going away, it’s because people are not seeking care for those conditions," he said.

According to the CDC, the virus has a bigger impact on cancer patients.

"For the COVID virus when cancer patients get the virus, they tend to have more severe outcomes," Richardson said.

The CDC anticipates there will be more health problems going forward and encourages everyone to get their regular checkups.

"In addition to that, people are not getting the regular health care and wellness care that they should be getting such as their blood pressure, taking care of diabetes, high blood pressure," Richardson said.

Richardson, a doctor who treats cancer patients, says going to the doctor is still safe during the pandemic. 

"I haven’t neglected my health care in the last year. I’ve had multiple doctor visits including a mammogram, so it is possible to do this in the pandemic and to stay safe," she said.

She encourages others to seek out care if they’re not feeling well.

"I just want people to know, they should take care of themselves first. As moms, wives or significant others, we always take care of others first," added Richardson.

If you would like to learn more information on COVID-19 and its impact on cancer, you can go to CDC.gov/cancer.