I have three questions: 1) Why did huge numbers of hospitals across the country lay off huge numbers of health care workers? 2) Why did most governors ban elective medical procedures? 3) Why did several of those governors give an exemption to abortion?

By Daniel Alman (aka Dan from Squirrel Hill)

May 1, 2020

Note from Daniel Alman: If you like this blog post that I wrote, you can buy my books from amazon, and/or donate to me via PayPal, using the links below:

All across the country, huge numbers of hospitals have laid off huge numbers of health care workers. Here are some news headlines about this:

https://www.masslive.com/boston/2020/04/coronavirus-financial-losses-prompt-boston-medical-center-to-furlough-700-employees-10-of-hospitals-workforce.html

Coronavirus financial losses prompt Boston Medical Center to furlough 700 employees, 10% of hospital’s workforce

https://www.kentucky.com/news/coronavirus/article241565211.html

Kentucky hospital chain furloughs about 500 employees as coronavirus saps business

https://www.sungazette.com/news/top-news/2020/04/a-mounting-casualty-crisis-health-care-jobs/

A mounting casualty crisis: Health care jobs

http://wvmetronews.com/2020/04/03/thomas-health-to-lay-off-hundreds-as-business-shrinks-because-of-coronavirus/

Four West Virginia hospitals lay off hundreds because of coronavirus-related shrinking revenues

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/02/coronavirus-pandemic-jobs-us-health-care-workers-furloughed-laid-off/5102320002/

Thousands of US medical workers furloughed, laid off as routine patient visits drop during coronavirus pandemic

https://thefederalist.com/2020/04/09/i-cant-get-my-hip-surgery-because-of-coronavirus-even-though-nobody-is-in-our-hospital/

I Can’t Get My Hip Surgery Because Of Coronavirus Even Though Nobody Is In Our Hospital

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/musc-health-lays-off-900-due-to-covid-19-financial-strain.html

MUSC Health lays off 900 due to COVID-19 financial strain

https://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/oklahoma-city-hospital-closed-amid-coronavirus-spread/article_0b2e6a38-d470-57a0-8d32-a9eeb80d0bbe.html

Oklahoma City hospital closed amid coronavirus spread

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/coronavirus-victim-americas-largest-health-systems/story?id=70317683

Even nation’s largest health systems laying off health care workers amid COVID pandemic

https://nypost.com/2020/04/27/were-destroying-hospitals-in-the-name-of-fighting-the-coronavirus/

We’re destroying hospitals in the name of fighting the coronavirus

https://www.foxnews.com/science/mayo-clinic-furlough-or-cut-pay-employees

Mayo Clinic to furlough or cut pay of 30,000 employees

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-testing-company-quest-diagnostics-furloughs-workers/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=86566305

Coronavirus testing company Quest Diagnostics furloughs workers

Meanwhile, the governors in more than 30 states have banned elective medical procedures.

The word “elective” refers to any medical procedure that is scheduled in advance.

Examples of elective medical procedures that have been postponed or canceled include cancer treatment, organ transplants, and hip surgery.

However, some of the governors that have banned elective medical procedures have given an exemption to abortion.

For example, Politico reported:

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was one of a handful of Democratic leaders to explicitly carve out an exception for “the full range of family planning services and procedures, including terminations of pregnancies” from his executive order that suspends elective surgeries.

As another example, the Lansing State Journal reported:

Reproductive health clinics in Michigan are still providing abortion services, citing an exemption for “pregnancy-related visits and procedures” in Gov. Whitmer’s executive order restricting non-essential medical services.

Likewise, the New Boston Post reported:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has exempted elective abortions from the statewide ban on elective surgery during the coronavirus precautionary restrictions.

Furthermore, Virginia’s official government website reported:

Governor Ralph Northam and State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA today directed all hospitals to stop performing elective surgeries or procedures…

The public health emergency order does not apply to… family planning services

Also, the Washington Free Beacon reported:

Pennsylvania Allows Planned Parenthood to Perform Abortions Despite Elective Surgery Ban

So I have three questions about all of this:

1) Why did huge numbers of hospitals across the country lay off huge numbers of health care workers?

2) Why did most governors ban elective medical procedures?

3) Why did several of those governors give an exemption to abortion?

Note from Daniel Alman: If you like this blog post that I wrote, you can buy my books from amazon, and/or donate to me via PayPal, using the links below: