Hospitals to halt some procedures to free up COVID beds.
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts hospitals will soon put a temporary halt to in-patient elective surgeries that can safely be postponed, and the state will expand free testing throughout the state to help fight a rising tide of new coronavirus cases. Gov. Charie Baker at a news conference Monday said the state is now experiencing a rapid increase in new positive cases in the wake of Thanksgiving and the number of people becoming ill and needing hospitalization is also increasing, putting a strain on the hospital system. Most elective surgeries will be halted starting Friday. Baker also announced a plan to expand testing, particularly in western Massachusetts and on Cape Cod.
-Associated Press