Texas Gov. Abbott Asks Hospitals to Delay Elective Procedures as COVID-19 Cases Jump

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is seen at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas on June 8, 2021. Montinique Monroe/Getty Images

The governor of Texas is asking hospitals to delay medical procedures that aren’t essential in response to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, sent a letter (pdf) to the Texas Hospital Association on Monday requesting “your cooperation to avoid a shortage of hospital capacity.”