The pandemic caused cancer screening rates to drop by 82% from March to May 2020, according to the latest research by the Radiological Society of North America.

Joyce Davis, a registered nurse at Huntington Hospital, says cancer screenings began to make a comeback in February, but slowly.

"It took a little bit of time because again people were hesitant to go into any type of medical facility, you know, with COVID and then there was an influx because we got very busy trying to catch up first with surgeries and then with people who were newly diagnosed," Davis says.

Medical professionals say steps have been taken to make sure the procedure is safe.

Davis says they ensure that COVID-19 patients are not crossing into certain areas and designated staff and elevators for specific floors.

"Anytime you delay a screening it's detrimental because the earlier we find something, the better the outcome," Davis says.

Roslyn resident Linda Bonanno was able to beat breast cancer due to early detection from a mammogram in 2011.

"Think about it--what's the message of these past two years with COVID?" Bonanno says. "Prevention, health, prevention. So it applies to breast cancer."

The Radiological Society of North America will present its new findings at its annual meeting next week.