Our system of triage evolved over this period of time, both in terms of the number of negative RT PCR tests for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus Two (SARS‐CoV‐2)required to approve patients for surgery, and in terms of the emphasis on avoiding surgery. We sought to maintain previous standards of care, while making adjustments based on the ascending COVID‐19 crisis. The primary goal was always the well‐being of the patient. If any potential harm from not proceeding immediately with surgery was not felt to be outweighed by the benefit of keeping the patient away from the hospital during the pandemic, then the surgery was performed, albeit with technical modifications to increase safety. In cases where delays were believed to have little impact, or where nonsurgical therapies were thought to represent reasonable alternatives, the benefit of keeping the patient safe from viral infection or the risk of unknowingly operating during the prodrome of a COVID‐19infection, 20  might be judged to tip the scales away from surgery. The public health benefits related to other patients and providers were noted but assigned lower weight.