State recommends non-urgent procedures be delayed for three months

 

KMXT received this press release from Governor Mike Dunleavy’s office. We post it here as received, with minimal editing.

 

** COVID-19 HEALTH ALERT**

Issued March 16, 2020 By: Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer, State of Alaska

DHSS strongly advises that all Alaskans follow this guidance from U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and the American College of Surgeons: www.facs.org/about-acs/covid-19/information-for-surgeons.

In light of this advice, all patients, providers, hospitals and surgical centers are requested to consider minimizing, postponing or canceling all non-urgent or elective procedures for three months to decrease the overall impact on the Alaska health care structure.

Given Alaska’s distances and limited health care capacity, it is especially important to open acute health care beds for anticipated COVID-19 care. The State of Alaska believes that by delaying non emergent procedures, individuals will receive optimal care.

 

Click here to go to ADHSS’s COVID-19 website which is one of the sites you may want to bookmark for accurate statewide information on the coronavirus.