Add Arkansas to the list of states where the governor has banned abortions along with, other non-essential medical procedures, to help fight the coronavirus by conserving medical supplies.
Governor Asa Hutchinson released a letter via the Arkansas state health department on Friday that all health care facilities postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not medically necessary during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In his statement the Governor said that all ambulatory surgical centers and all abortion facilities are included.
On Saturday afternoon, state Senator Trent Garner posted a copy of the letter and thanked Governor Hutchinson for issuing the ban and including abortion centers in it.
“Thank you to @AsaHutchinson for listening to our concerns and shutting down elective abortions. We must put the safety of Arkansans 1st, and preserve PPE for real medical needs. The clinics have to follow the law, or risk the safety of many,” he tweeted.
The purpose of these directives is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) for use by those engaged in serving the needs of COVID-19 patients.
Representatives of over 30,000 physicians have responded to the claims of pro-abortion medical groups that elective abortions are “essential healthcare.” In their response, the 30,000 physicians point out that “elective abortion treats no disease process” and “[c]ontinuing to perform elective abortions during a pandemic is medically irresponsible.”
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In addition, the physicians point out that “Elective abortion is neither ‘essential’ nor ‘urgent,’ but it does consume critical resources such as masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment, and unnecessarily exposes patients and physicians to pathogens. Elective abortion, both surgical and drug induced, also generates more patients to be seen in already overburdened emergency rooms.” They indicated that 5% of women who undergo medication (chemical) abortions end in an emergency room, usually for hemorrhage.
Last week, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb banned abortions in the state in order to preserve medical resources to help fight the coronavirus. Governor Holcomb has issued orders calling for a halt to all elective and non-urgent surgical procedures in Indiana and he included abortion clinics in the new emergency orders related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia issued a similar order.
Meanwhile, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily halted a lower court ruling that stopped Texas officials from banning abortions to help conserve medical resources to combat the coronavirus.
Although the situation is fluid, here are the latest reports from LifeNews.com on the status of abortion and orders to stop non-essential medical services:
States Attempting to Protect Babies From Abortion
Texas: Abortion centers are temporarily closed after Governor Greg Abbott’s order. But Texas abortion businesses have sued the state to reopen. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit as well to do abortions and ignore the order. A federal judge blocked the order and allowed abortion centers to keep killing babies but a federal appeals court reinstated the order.
Maryland: Abortion centers are included in the abortion order to stop non-essential procedures but they have been caught violating the order.
Louisiana: Abortion centers are included in the order to close and all three closed initially but at least one abortion center has been caught doing abortions.
Ohio: Abortion centers are included in the order to close but they are refusing to close. The health department is now investigating those violations. Meanwhile, a judge has blocked the state’s order banning abortions and later ruled that it’s up to abortion companies if abortions are essential.
Mississippi: Abortion centers are included in the order and the state’s sole abortion business has closed.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Gov Orders Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care. The Planned Parenthood abortion business has sued to keep doing abortions.
Kentucky: Attorney General Asks Health Department to Shut Down Abortion Clinics to Combat Coronavirus
Indiana: Governor Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus. At least one abortion business is refusing to comply.
Alabama: Alabama stopped abortions under its non-essential order until April 13th but a judge ruled the state can’t infringe on the so-called “right” to abortion. The state is fighting the ruling at the appeals court.
West Virginia: Gov Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus.
States Not Protecting Babies From Abortion
Kansas: Abortions are allowed in Kansas but a county in Wichita voted to close the late-term abortion clinic there.
New York: New York has issued an order to stop non-essential health services but is not applying it to abortion centers. New York Attorney General: Coronavirus Crisis is No Reason to Stop Killing Babies in Abortions. NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio has threatened to permanently close churches while letting abortion centers stay open.
Minnesota: Minnesota Issues Shelter at Home Order But People Can Still Go Kill Their Babies in Abortions
New Mexico: New Mexico Shuts Down Non-Essential Health Care, But Allows Abortion Clinics to Keep Killing Babies
New Jersey: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Michigan: Governor Whitmer has stopped non-essential medical surgeries but allowed abortion clinics to keep killing babies. Leading pro-life groups have heavily criticized her.
North Carolina: Pro-life groups have called on the governor to stop abortions during the coronavirus crisis.
Washington: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
California: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. But 11 Planned Parenthood abortion centers have voluntarily closed.
Pennsylvania: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. Pro-life groups have criticized Governor Tom Wolf for letting abortions continue.
Maine: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Shuts Down Pregnancy Center Over Coronavirus, Lets Abortion Clinics Stay Open
Massachusetts: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
International
Canada has banned every other non-essential medical procedure except abortion.
