Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order June 25 to ensure beds are available for patients with COVID-19 as cases continue to spike in the state.
The executive order suspends elective procedures in four Texas counties: Bexar, Dallas, Harris and Travis. The order directs all hospitals in those areas to postpone all nonemergent procedures.
The order allows Mr. Abbott to add or subtract from the list of counties to address surges in hospitalizations that may arise in other parts of the state.
"As Texas faces a rise in COVID-19 cases, we are focused on both slowing the spread of this virus and maintaining sufficient hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients," Mr. Abbott said. "These four counties have experienced significant increases in people being hospitalized due to COVID-19 and today's action is a precautionary step to help ensure that the hospitals in these counties continue to have ample supply of available beds to treat COVID-19 patients."