California allows hospitals to resume scheduled surgeries

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday has relaxed the stay-at-home order that has been in place for five weeks now by allowing hospitals to resume scheduled surgeries.

Elective surgeries has been put on pause in March to make room and beds available for the expected influx of coronavirus patients.

While cosmetic surgeries are still not permitted to take place, procedures having to do with cancer, heart valves and chronic diseases can now go ahead as scheduled.

State officials will monitor hospitals to make sure that the lifted order does not overwhelm their systems. If there is a surge, the ban on scheduled surgeries could be reinstated.

Newsom, a Democrat, said the state needed to wait for for testing kits to become more widely available before re-opening the economy.

California has confirmed 36,000 coronavirus cases and 1,350 deaths.