New York hospitals can now resume elective surgeries

Albany, New York — Hospitals in New York State can now resume elective surgeries.

Thursday morning, Gov. Kathy Hochul made an announcement during an update on COVID in the state.

According to Hochul, with hospitalizations dropping, those surgeries can now move forward.

There has not been an increase in COVID cases since the state suspended the mask mandate for businesses, the governor said.

Hochul asked parents to test children before they return to school next week and addressed the mask mandate in schools which is still in effect.

“With more children vaccinated, we are in a better place, and so we are prepared to stay on the same timeline that I have been laying out for weeks at what we are looking at when we make decision on schools masks,” Hochul said. “This will always be based on that data that we have in front of us.”

According to the governor, she would reevaluate the mask mandate in schools in early March.