For the first time in a month, many elective medical surgeries are set to proceed in Louisiana.
State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says emergency procedures have been happening, but medical centers will now be allowed to catch up on much need time-sensitive, but less pressing surgeries.
“It’s time sensitive if waiting any longer would adversely impact the patient. Those procedures should be done now, but they need to do it carefully,” says Guidry.
Your trip to the doctor will not be the same as it once was. Guidry says medical facilities have strict social distancing guidelines to follow.
“Calling, making an appointment, if you have symptoms letting your provider know. All of these are critical to making sure that we get back to taking care of health conditions,” says Guidry.
Waiting room space will either be limited or not available during this time.
Governor Edwards says now that cases have plateaued we have to resume normal medical care.
“We know that our people are sicker than we want them to be and if they can’t go to the doctor then they just keep getting sicker when you are not managing their disease. They are then more vulnerable to the disease that we are trying to protect them from,” says Edwards.
The Governor also adds these elective procedures are the economic lifeblood of hospitals that have taken a huge financial hit over the last month.
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