Due to Governor Kate Brown’s shelter-in-place orders, elective surgeries and other necessary, but non-urgent, medical procedures have been temporarily banned to make space for people suffering from COVID-19, as well as protect the hospital workers caring for them. (Our Blair Stenvick has more on the negative impact that’s been causing for patients here.)
Today Gov. Kate Brown announced she will be relaxing rules on this ban, thereby allowing nonessential hospital procedures to pick back up again. Of course, there are conditions to this new rule, including (according to reporting by OPB) hospitals being able to handle non-urgent as well as COVID-inflicted patients, having a sufficient amount of personal protection gear in stock, being willing to halt nonessential procedures if a rise in coronavirus cases occur, and more.
Gov. Brown will be holding a press conference this morning at 11 am, along with Dr. Dana Hargunani of the Oregon Health Authority and Dr. Bruce Goldberg of the Governor’s Medical Advisory Panel, to talk more about the relaxation of this state order, as well as answer questions from reporters.
WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE, STARTING AT 11 AM TODAY, APRIL 23.
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