Some Doctors Recommend Seniors Delay Non-Emergent Surgeries Until COVID Vaccinations

Many seniors who qualify for COVID vaccines in South Carolina's Lowcountry region are inundated by the process of getting an appointment, and some have even had to delay needed surgeries while they wait to get the vaccine, reports WCSC-Charleston CBS 5 . However, hospitals like Roper St. Francis and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) are permitting most non-emergent surgeries, despite higher bed occupancy rates on account of COVID infections and other medical necessities. MUSC's Heather Woolwine said the university does require COVID testing for surgeries or invasive procedures before and upon hospitalization, but "depending on the size of a hospital and their policies during the pandemic, their capacity for surgeries that are categorized as non-urgent, can vary from provider to provider during this time." Neither MUSC nor Roper require patients over 70 years to get a COVID vaccine before surgery or other procedures, but some doctors recommend it for their older patients to avoid risk of exposure. "Now that we have vaccines available, I recommend patients get a COVID vaccine if possible, both for their health and their peace of mind during their hospitalization," said Lowcountry Orthopedics' Adam Schaaf.