Gov. Greg Abbott has suspended elective surgeries and procedures at hospitals in Travis, Bexar, Dallas and Harris counties as COVID-19 hospitalizations surge across Texas.
The executive order affecting four of the state's largest counties requires hospitals to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately necessary to correct a serious medical condition or preserve the life of a patient, the office of the governor said.
The order states the governor can add or substract counties on the list depending on COVID-19 hospitalizations.
“As Texas faces a rise in COVID-19 cases, we are focused on both slowing the spread of this virus and maintaining sufficient hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients,” Abbott said. “These four counties have experienced significant increases in people being hospitalized due to COVID-19 and today’s action is a precautionary step to help ensure that the hospitals in these counties continue to have ample supply of available beds to treat COVID-19 patients."
Abbott is urging Texans to do their part to help contain the spread of the coronavirus by washing their hands regularly, wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.
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