States Order Abortions to Be Delayed Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

Texas and Ohio have identified abortion as one of the non-essential medical procedures that should be delayed amid the coronavirus outbreak, fueling the debate over abortion rights in states that have already sought to restrict them. As the coronavirus spreads across the U.S., threatening to overwhelm hospitals, several states have required that nonessential surgeries and medical procedures be delayed, especially as healthcare workers face severe shortages of personal protective equipment. But now that advice has intersected with the battle over abortion rights, while advocates warn that women seeking abortions might not be able to wait weeks for treatment. “We must work together as Texans to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our health care professionals and facilities have all the resources they need to fight the virus at this time,” Texas Attorney General Paxton said in a statement, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the postponement of all surgeries and procedures that are “not immediately, medically necessary.” “No one is exempt from the governor’s executive order on medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures, including abortion providers,” Paxton said. “Those who violate the governor’s order will be met with the full force of the law.” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also ordered clinics to stop performing abortions, defining non-essential abortions as “those that can be delayed without u...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized abortion COVID-19 Source Type: news