FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MARCH 21, 2020
Contact: Erin Ryan, ryan@innovationohio.org, (440) 382-2900
The Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network Statement: AG Yost’s Order to Stop Providing Abortion Care During COVID-19 Crisis Will Exacerbate the Health and Economic Consequences Facing Ohio Women and Families
Columbus, Ohio – The following statement is from Elizabeth Brown, Executive Director of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network, in response to Attorney General Yost’s order for Ohio clinics to stop providing abortion care under the order to stop all “non-essential” surgeries and medical procedures:
“The COVID-19 pandemic will have far-reaching health and economic consequences for Ohio women and families, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s dangerous order for Ohio clinics to halt providing abortion care during this crisis will seriously exacerbate these impacts for patients denied access to essential reproductive healthcare during this time.
“Abortion is a crucial and essential component of comprehensive health care. It cannot be delayed during this crisis. Access to abortion care is intrinsically linked to women’s educational attainment, workforce participation, and economic security.
“By cutting off access to these essential services under the guise of COVID-19 health precautions, AG Yost’s decision will directly undermine the health, well-being, and economic stability of women in our state. Because we know that all women deserve the opportunity to lead economically secure, safe, and healthy lives, AG Yost must rescind his order, and access to abortion must remain available throughout the growing and unprecedented health and economic crisis we are facing.”
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