Cleveland Right to Life is a founding member of Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio
For Immediate Release                       
March 20, 2020 
Contact: Molly Smith  
Phone: 440-668-4049

Clinics Defy Statewide Mandate:
Risk Spreading COVID-19
Ohio abortion facilities remain open despite Health Director's mandate

(Cleveland, OH)- Despite Ohio Health Director Amy Acton's  mandate  that "all non-essential and elective surgeries and procedures" cease,  abortion facilities across the state remain open risking the spread of COVID-19 to patients, staff, and the general public.  While the mandate went into effect at 5:00 p.m. on March 18th, they continued business as usual yesterday and remain open today. Citizens across the state confirmed this fact yesterday by calling each individual facility.

See also the statement from the  Ohio State Medical Association ,  re-enforcing the Health Director's mandate by stating that, "All non-essential surgeries must be postponed."

Not only are these facilities using up scarce personal protective equipment, they risk spreading the Coronavirus all over Ohio and our neighboring states. Furthermore, abortionists themselves are not immune to COVID-19 and  some, including one in Michigan, may have already contracted   the disease.  These "healthcare organizations" are ignoring a global pandemic, blatantly defying the law, and risking the lives of many innocent citizens.  These facilities would also put a burden on community EMTs and hospital ERs, should they have a medical emergency at one of their locations.

"The fact that these abortion facilities have absolutely no regard for public health indicates that they are not healthcare institutions at all," said Molly Smith, President of Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio and Executive Director of Cleveland Right to Life. "They shout in the legislature, in the public forum, on social media - that their entire purpose for existence is women's health. How hypocritical then to defy a mandate from the Ohio Health Department itself and put the lives of all Ohio citizens in jeopardy in order to perform elective abortion procedures!"

The Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio, consisting of dozens of state pro-life groups, is working with Governor DeWine, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Attorney General for an immediate solution to this issue.  We are grateful to those leaders in our state who continue to protect the public health during this time of crisis. This is a developing situation, and we will keep you informed.

#StoptheSpread
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The Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio is an association of metropolitan, county and local pro-life organizations. RTLACO focuses on developing and strengthening local grass roots pro-life leadership, true representative governing for the statewide organization, a commitment to a consistent and holistic pro-life standard to evaluate both policies and elected officials/candidates, and collaborative engagement to develop priorities for action.
 
Cleveland Right to Life Mission

MISSION STATEMENT

WE believe that all human beings are made in the image of the Creator and must be respected and protected from the moment of conception until natural death. We know to be true that human rights begin when human life begins, as affirmed in the Declaration of Independence.  So as to foster a culture of life we promote and defend the right to life of all innocent human beings and reject such practices as abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, and same-sex marriage that are contrary to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God".  We represent pro-life citizens from over 8 counties in the region, making our organization one of the largest pro-life organizations in the State of Ohio. We focus our efforts first and foremost at the local level to achieve local solutions and then cooperate with the state and national pro-life efforts as directed and needed.

 
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