Elective Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Written by David C. Raab, D.O., Premier Orthopaedics
As you likely remember, on March 11 the World Health Organization declared the novel corona virus a global pandemic. Rapid spread of the virus was evident throughout the United States. Washington, Northern California, New York and surrounding cities on the East Coast noted a rapidly increasing number of symptomatic COVID-19 patients with an estimated fatality rate of 3.5%.
The burden of depleted personal protective equipment (PPE) for front line healthcare workers, staffing shortages in acute care settings, and an exponential increase in emergency room visits and hospital admissions were felt immediately. The sustainability of our healthcare system was in question.