Just to say, from perspective of former RN and a surgical patient myself, ALL surgeries can carry risk of infection - it is a mentioned potential complication acknowledged in all preoperative discussions by any ethical surgeon. Unsure whether he was talking about this general risk or he was he specifically referring to COVID because of current pandemic/if one was hospitalized? Diabetic patients are more prone to poor healing/increased risk of infection as are very obese patients (poor tissue perfusion). However, other than increased risks with COVID and diabetes (ESP if blood sugars not well controlled), normal infection risks should not be given as sole reason for a surgery to be cancelled. This is why antibiotics are administered pre/intra/post operatively!