The Beverly Hills city council decided in a 4-1 vote Wednesday night to resume elective medical procedures, including those considered to be cosmetic.
The vote amends the city’s March 16 ordinance that called for a stop to medical, dental and surgical procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak.
A statement from the city said the amendment was drafted to allow for important medical procedures like heart valve replacements, tumor removal, angioplasties and preventative care such as colonoscopies to resume.
“As a result, the City will now fall under State and County guidelines, which do not prohibit elective procedures, but rather encourage their suspension,” the statement read.
The amendment also allows for cosmetic procedures to resume, which is what prompted one councilmember to vote against it.
“I think it would be extremely irresponsible of us, and it would send a terrible message to the world, if the first thing we do is to allow boob and butt jobs to happen again,” Councilman John Mirisch said.
Mirisch also pointed out that Beverly Hills has one of the highest infection levels in Los Angeles County and said now is not the time to relax on unnecessary surgeries.