National Physicians Week started Thursday and it is a great time to recognize the front line workers who risked their lives to save others during this difficult time.

Dr. Vijay Yanamadala is a neurosurgeon at St Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport. He says he feels it is a privilege to be a doctor during this pandemic.

Yanamadala says we've learned so much since COVID-19 hit, like how important it is to choose the right physician and one that makes you feel safe.

He says he feels telemedicine was under-utilized before COVID-19.

"I do think that we'll probably be wearing masks for a good portion of this year, possibly into 2022 as well, in part because we don't know whether or not our vaccines will be effective against variants and also we know that they are some people who won't be completely immune," said Yanamadala.

Yanamadala says the quick development of vaccines really speaks to the advances in biomedical sciences.