#CancelEverything

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) a global pandemic. Its impact left the world uncertain about health, politics and the economy. The first wave caused a major disruption to health services, exacerbating concerns of patient and physician safety and resource availability. On trend with the “cancel everything” hashtag, regions ramped down or suspended “elective” or non-emergent surgeries in efforts to reduce transmission, and preserve personal protective equipment, hospital bed capacity and key equipment. Operating at a reduced capacity, the American College of Surgeons released a guide to patient triage for surgery relative to factors like severity of illness and time sensitivity. These safeguards, however, could not account for the physical and emotional stresses of delayed surgeries, diagnoses or treatments.¹