Member-only story
How Abortion Providers Are Defying the Coronavirus to Continue Care
As states like Texas and Ohio try to limit abortion access during the Covid-19 pandemic, providers warn that doing so puts patients at undue risk
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the biggest threat abortion providers saw on the horizon was June v. Russo, a Supreme Court case that conservative justices could use to dismantle Roe v. Wade. Then governors began wielding executive power in response to Covid-19, and advocates immediately feared that some politicians would use their power to shut down abortion access.
On Monday, that fear came to pass when Texas governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order requiring physicians to postpone “all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary.” The Texas attorney general later clarified that the order applied to all abortion procedures except in cases of life endangerment. Abortion providers across the state were forced to cancel hundreds of appointments. In Alabama, where abortion clinics were deemed essential, providers reported an influx of patients from Texas seeking appointments.
Governor Abbott’s move came after a similar attempt in Ohio, though abortion clinics there remained open. Mississippi governor, Tate…
