Even though were used to the COVID-19 pandemic by now, we still need to exercise caution when it comes to outings. Especially during a time when cases are climbing higher by the day.

So, where do doctors appointments come into play? What should you postpone and what should you do about vital screenings or exams for health conditions?

We spoke with some experts to bring you this guide on what checkups or appointments you should keep, which you should cancel, and how to safely go to the necessary ones during the pandemic.

Routine visits should be evaluated based on your health history or issues, along with COVID-19 risk in your area.

Its generally recommended that you continue your routine doctor appointments right now, like your yearly physical or gynecological exam. Experts are worried many health issues are going undiagnosed during the pandemic. By now, your doctors have likely established COVID-19 protocols to make sure youll be as safe as possible during your visit.

I wouldnt recommend cancelling right now unless your doctors office tells you that you need to, said Abisola Olulade , a board-certified family medicine physician affiliated with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group in San Diego.

Physicals and other routine appointments are important because we often detect things patients didnt know they had such as high blood pressure or an abnormal skin mole, Olulade continued. We also refer patients for screening colonoscopies and mammograms and perform pap smears, all of which are an important part of your health maintenance.

However, you should make alternate plans for regular checkups if your area has a high COVID positivity rate (anything above 5% is usually cause for concern or at least pause) or if your city or state is under stay-at-home orders.

Routine physicals are important but would not be the priority in a situation where the number of COVID cases are really high, Olulade said. And in cases when COVID case counts are high, if you are someone who is otherwise healthy, then you can reschedule better than canceling if possible your physicals and nonurgent concerns.

The same consideration may be applied to routine dental appointments, according to Kavita Patel, HuffPosts medical contributor and an internal medicine physician in Washington, D.C.

If you are in an area with a high number of cases, I would consider delaying it, Patel told HuffPost in July . If you are in an area that has had declines, I would schedule and ask on the phone what precautions your dentist and the hygienist are taking. If you do go, I would bring hand sanitizer and a mask to your appointment, just to have if you end up waiting in a waiting area. If you can wait in your car/outside and they can text you to come in, even better.

Appointments for manicures, pedicures and hair also can wait if youre worried about disease transmission, said Adam Rosh, an emergency room physician in Detroit and the founder and CEO of Rosh Review . If you have a pet, you should also consider calling veterinarians to see if they advise bringing your animal in for a checkup or if that can wait as well.

Why all the fuss? Rosh said appointments typically come with having to sit in a waiting room potentially with people who are sick and that increases your risk for exposure, especially indoors .

Inna Chern , a dentist in New York City, noted that while health care offices tend to be cleaner than average public spaces, the risk could arise from other areas of the building. Wearing a face covering and washing your hands can help mitigate some of that risk.

Call your doctors and discuss your specific case and whether they think you can wait to have a particular exam. Your health history, any specific factors that may increase your likelihood of disease, your health status and your chances of contracting a severe case of COVID-19 all factor into determining if you should follow through with a routine appointment.