Cone Health is planning a return to normal surgical schedules by the end of October. This comes as the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 has declined.
On August 30, Cone Health officials asked surgeons and patients to delay non-essential surgeries that needed to be done in a hospital or required an overnight stay. The goal was to reduce the number of people in the hospital system as COVID-19 cases climbed.
Now officials say the hospital is “comfortable” resuming procedures such as knee surgeries or hernia repair.
112 people diagnosed with COVID-19 were in Cone Health hospitals as of October 11. That's the lowest number since mid-August.
Meanwhile, more than 99 percent of Cone Health workers have complied with a vaccine requirement for employees.
Of the 13,000 workers in the hospital system, 68 chose not to get a shot and according to a press release, voluntarily left the organization.
Cone officials say the announcement comes as more than 90 percent of people hospitalized with COVID-19 nationwide are unvaccinated.