New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is allowing hospitals in some counties in the state to begin elective surgeries again if they do not face significant risk of a nearterm COVID-19 surge, according to an April 21 announcement.
What you should know:
1. Hospitals can begin performing elective outpatient surgeries April 28, if they meet select guidelines.
2. Hospital capacity must be over 25 percent for the county, and there must have been fewer than 10 new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the county over the past 10 days. If hospitals do not meet that criteria they may not resume elective procedures.
3. If a hospital that resumes elective procedures falls below either benchmark it must stop performing elective procedures.
4. Hospitals restarting elective procedures are also required to test all patients for COVID-19 before the procedure can take place.
5. Elective surgery bans will remain in place in the following counties: Bronx, Queens, Rockland, Nassau, Clinton, Yates, Westchester, Albany, Richmond, Schuyler, Kings, Suffolk, New York, Dutchess, Sullivan, Ulster, Erie, Orange and Rensselaer.