California’s public health officer has released an order that requires strained hospitals to delay elective surgeries and transfer patients to hospitals with more capacity as the state faces a COVID-19 surge.
The San Joaquin Valley Region, which includes San Benito County, currently falls under the zero percent ICU availability condition under the order.
Under the order, if a region has zero percent ICU availability, hospitals will delay Elective Surgery Acuity Scale (ESAS) Tier 1 and 2 surgical procedures. For example, carpal tunnel and colonoscopy procedures are Tier 1 surgeries that would be delayed.
Low-risk cancer and non-urgent spine procedures would be delayed under Tier 2.
Also under the order, hospitals that have reached crisis care levels will transfer patients to other hospitals that are capable of accepting them.
The order will remain in effect for at least three weeks.
