New York — Hospitals in the Central New York, Mohawk Valley and Finger Lakes regions have been ordered to stop elective surgeries.
Previously certain hospitals in the regions, including all three in Syracuse, had been ordered to pause elective procedures, but the new order applies to all facilities. The state Health Department will assess the order every two weeks.
Elective procedures include surgeries like knee and hip replacements that are major money makers for hospitals.
The pause is needed to ensure facilities in the three regions have enough space to handle the current surge of Covid-19 cases, Gov. Kathy Hochul said today during a press conference in New York City. Even hospitals that aren’t stressed need to maintain room for transfers from other sites, Hochul said.
Hospitals also need to ensure they can continue to treat non-Covid patients for things like broken bones and heart attacks, she added.