Republican Alaska Gov. Michael Dunleavy announced Tuesday that all elective medical procedures, including abortions, are temporarily banned in the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dunleavy issued a Tuesday COVID-19 update mandating that “all patients, providers, hospitals, and surgical centers” must postpone non-urgent or elective medical procedures to “decrease the overall impact on the Alaska health care structure and preserve personal protective equipment.”
The order will stay in effect until June 15. (RELATED: ABORTION BANS: These States Say Abortions Must Stop During The Coronavirus Pandemic)
Safety guidelines for religious services issued today in COVID-19 Health Alert 011 that address live-streaming of services, drive-in services, and Easter basket assembly and distribution.
Read the full health alert at https://t.co/LDj7QiDVKO pic.twitter.com/l0DnDy9HzV
— Alaska DHSS (@Alaska_DHSS) April 7, 2020
The order included surgical abortions, an attachment stated: “Healthcare providers are to postpone surgical abortion procedures unless the life or physical health of the mother is endangered by continuation of the pregnancy during the period of postponement.”
Alaska joined Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa and Mississippi in deeming abortions non-essential and banning them to preserve Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for fighting coronavirus.
The Alaska governor also announced a day of prayer and hope Tuesday. (RELATED: World Health Organization: Abortion Is ‘Essential’ During Coronavirus Pandemic)
“In times of uncertainty, such as this global health pandemic we are fending off, prayer and hope are powerful resources that are immediately accessible to every Alaskan across every faith and religious tradition,” the governor said in a statement.
He added: “In the past weeks and months, we have witnessed some of the greatest acts of compassion we’ve ever seen – Alaskans putting their personal wants and needs aside as we consider the most vulnerable in our state and work to slow the spread of this devastating virus.” (RELATED: These States Say Abortions Are Essential During The Coronavirus Crisis)
“I invite all Alaskans to join me this Friday as we come together to pray for and focus our positive wishes on Alaska, the country, and the world,” he added. “I have no doubt that the people of this great state will emerge from this pandemic stronger, more compassionate, and more united than ever.”
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