The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services on Monday asked health care providers to consider minimizing, postponing or canceling all non-urgent or elective procedures for the next three months "to decrease the overall impact on the Alaska health care structure."
The recommendationcomes from U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and the American College of Surgeons. In a statement, the Alaska health department strongly advised Alaskans to follow the guidance.
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"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 statement said. "The state of Alaska believes that by delaying non emergent procedures, individuals will receive optimal care."