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MCH address the new guidance by the governor

Governor Abbott is asking hospitals to postpone elective surgeries to increase hospital capacity.

ODESSA, Texas — As COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to rise, Governor Abbott is taking action by asking hospitals to postpone elective surgeries to increase hospital capacity.

On Tuesday, MCH held a press conference to address the guidance by the governor and the recent changes in the hospital.

"That is something we are going to implement, before this week is over," said Russell Tippin, CEO for MCH. "We will slow down our elective surgeries that require an overnight stay. That is not saying that we will never do them, we will just need to reschedule them." 

Tippin says they plan to continue to provide those kind of surgeries when the number of people testing positive for the virus goes down. 

Tippin tells NewsWest9 they continue to encourage people to get vaccinated as those are the patients that are getting less severe effects.

"We see it in here everyday, every minute, that vaccinated people have a higher rate of survival when it comes to that COVID battle," Tippin said. "We see it constantly. I have seen it with my own eyes"

Leaders at MCH say they will continue to monitor the COVID cases in the hospital and that will determine the next step.

As of Tuesday, Aug.10, 65 people are in the hospital with the virus. Ten are vaccinated and none of those patients are on a ventilator.

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