Texas Gov. Abbott pauses reopening, suspends elective surgeries amid surge in COVID-19 cases

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/06/25/covid-19-texas-gov-abbott-pauses-reopening-suspends-elective-surgery/3258382001/

Nicole Cobler
Austin (Texas) American-Statesman
June 25, 2020


Amid rising hospitalizations and COVID-19 cases, Gov. Greg Abbott hit pause on plans to continue to reopen Texas on Thursday and suspended elective surgeries in the state’s largest counties.

The surgery order, which goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, halts all elective surgeries and procedures that are not medically necessary in Travis, Bexar, Harris and Dallas counties.

“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 said in a statement Thursday morning.

Roughly one hour later, Abbott announced that he would temporarily pause the state’s additional reopening phases, declining to roll back previous orders that allowed businesses to expand their occupancy levels.

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