Beverly Hills City Council votes to allow plastic surgery during pandemic

As American cities and states move toward returning to a sense of “normalcy,” community leaders are making difficult decisions about allowing citizens to resume activities.

The Beverly Hills City Council voted on Thursday to remove restrictions on elective surgeries, including plastic surgeries.

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In a tweet, the City of Beverly Hills explained that new guidelines mean the procedures are not “recommended,” but are permitted.

The city’s mayor, Lester Friedman says that the city “just wanted to be in line with what the state and the L.A. County Department of Public Health has permitted.” However, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

California’s governor Gavin Newsom noted earlier this week in his new executive order that surgeries will be allowed to be scheduled, he advised that elective procedures are prohibited. Plastic surgery would fall under that regulation.

The governor stressed the importance of being able to reintroduce capacity across the health care delivery system, while also ensuring that it doesn’t “overload the system.”

In an interview with CNN, Beverly Hills City Councilmember, John Mirisch, who was the sole opposing vote called the decision, “ridiculous,” “absurd,” and “offensive.”

He said, “in the middle of a pandemic, nobody needs Botox.” Mirisch was further concerned that the decision could cause a renewed shortage in Personal Protective Equipment including masks and gloves, which remain in short supply during the pandemic.

One Twitter user voiced his disgust at a news anchor that reportedly said, “while we are trying to flatten the curve, flatten your curves.”

Widespread expansion of coronavirus testing;

• “Vigilant” protection against infection of California’s most vulnerable residents;
• Manage surges at hospitals, enable development of infrastructure and distribution of personal protective equipment or PPE;
• Engage researchers in academia, including the University of California, and health and technology companies on the front lines of the pandemic;
• “Redraw floor plans” at business locations, schools and child-care facilities with physical distancing in mind;
• Determining when to re-institute certain measures, such as stay-at-home orders.