Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the suspension of all elective surgeries in Travis, Bexar, Harris and Dallas counties to offset the rapid increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Additionally, he ordered hospitals in the state’s 250 other counties to “postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient” who would be at risk of death without it.

A joint statement on hospita...