Ohio Lifts Ban On Some Elective Surgeries: Coronavirus Update

Chris Mosby
Updated ·2 min read

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio will allow elective surgical procedures to resume, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday. The sharing of resources among health care providers and social distancing efforts have blunted the spread of the new coronavirus, allowing these procedures to start again.

"We ask doctors to review any of the postponed procedures or surgeries with the patient in light of their current health situation and quality of life and make a joint decision about whether to proceed," DeWine said during his daily news conference on Wednesday.

Health care providers must talk to their patients about the risks of contracting COVID-19, if they decide to move forward with a surgical procedure. Patients must also be made aware of any non-surgical options available to them, DeWine said.

Don't miss the latest updates from health and government officials in Ohio on the coronavirus. Sign up for Patch newsletters and news alerts.

The governor said this is one of the first steps in reopening the economy in phases.

"As we continue this phased-in approach, we are working with hospital systems, health care providers, patients, and other stakeholders to determine the next steps. Eventually, we will be reopening our doctors’ offices and dentist offices. Together, we will get back to normal," DeWine said.

COVID-19 in Juvenile Correction Facility

Ohio has confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus in a Cuyahoga County youth correctional facility, DeWine announced Wednesday. The infected juvenile has been isolated, the Ohio Department of Youth Services said.

All of the other juveniles in the infected person's unit are being monitored by officials. Contact tracing, determining who the juvenile was in contact with, is now underway.

"Activity at our juvenile corrections locations has been limited for some time and unnecessary individuals are prohibited from entering the facilities. Both youth and staff have also been provided with face masks and are required to wear them," DeWine said.

Wednesday's Numbers

Ohio only confirmed about 400 new coronavirus cases between Tuesday and Wednesday, the state health department announced. Officials are hoping to see a steady, daily decline in the amount of new COVID-19 cases.

Between Monday and Tuesday, the state confirmed 750 new COVID-19 cases. Between Sunday and Monday, there were 1,200 new COVID-19 cases.

However, there were also 40 new COVID-19-related deaths announced on Wednesday afternoon. The state has now seen a total of 610 COVID-19 deaths since the outbreak began.

More reading:

This article originally appeared on the Cleveland Patch