Massachusetts hospitals may not perform “nonessential” procedures like colonoscopies or knee replacements, but they may continue to perform abortions.
Massachusetts Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality director Elizabeth Kelley released a memorandum March 15 explaining that all procedures that are “nonessential, elective invasive” procedures will be postponed or canceled while Massachusetts is under a state of emergency, according to MassLive.
“Terminating a pregnancy is not considered a nonessential, elective invasive procedure for the purpose of this guidance,” the memorandum said. “However, the ultimate decision is based on clinical judgment by the caring physician.”
Today, I have declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts to further support our response to COVID-19. We will continue planning and preparing to mitigate the spread of this disease, and have issued new guidance for Executive Branch employees.
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— Charlie Baker (@MassGovernor) March 10, 2020
Her clarification came after the public health commissioner ordered doctors to cancel all nonessential procedures March 10.
Nonessential procedures, according to Kelley’s memorandum, include any procedures involving skin incisions, injections into a “joint body space or body cavity,” hip replacement or knee replacement, colonoscopies, bronchoscopies, kidney tube placements, invasive radiology procedures, most dermatology procedures, eye implants, tooth extractions, sound wave treatment to break down kidney stones and endometrial biopsies.
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Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday that “we’re all adjusting to these circumstances, but I think it’s important to remember why,” according to MassLive.
“Our public health professionals believe by taking these serious actions now, we can mitigate the spread of coronavirus and help protect our most vulnerable population,” Baker added.
The pro-life Massachusetts Citizens for Life told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement that the organization is “disheartened” to learn that abortion will still be permitted.
“Women’s health and safety should be our top priority now, as always,” Massachusetts Citizens for Life said. “Risking exposure to the highly contagious disease during visits to abortion clinics not only puts our women at risk but their families, clinic staff, and their loved ones as well.”
“This is yet another indication that the once-popular abortion-rights mantra ‘safe, legal, and rare’ is a complete farce,” the group added. “In the face of a global pandemic, the abortion industry once again demonstrates that protecting women’s health has never been its priority. Instead, the abortion lobby’s singular goal is to increase the bottom line, even at the expense of risking the health and wellbeing of those who enter their clinics and those who work at them during these unprecedented times.”
Neither Massachusetts Department of Health nor Baker responded to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
LifeNews Note: Mary Margaret Olohan writes for Daily Caller. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience.
