Bethany McCorkle, a spokeswoman for the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, told CNN that abortion providers are among one of many to receive such a letter.
"This is not an abortion issue," McCorkle said. "A letter was also sent to a urology group that was allegedly performing elective surgeries."
A March 18 joint statement from eight medical groups including the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, which tends to take pro-abortion rights stands, asserted that abortion is "an essential component of comprehensive health care."
The groups argued that abortion is "a time-sensitive service for which a delay of several weeks, or in some cases days, may increase the risks or potentially make it completely inaccessible." Not being able to obtain an abortion has consequences that "profoundly impact a person's life, health, and well-being."
Ohio Right to Life had previously written Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio to complain about what it said was a violation of the order.
"As countless other clinics across the state comply with this health order and prioritize the lives of their fellow Ohioans, Planned Parenthood continues to put profit and abortion above the safety of our society's most vulnerable members--children and the elderly," Ohio Right to Life president Michael Gonidakis said March 21.
In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton said Gov. Greg Abbott's statewide order barring non-essential surgeries, issued on Sunday, applied to abortion clinics.
"We must work together as Texans to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our health care professionals and facilities have all the resources they need to fight the virus at this time," said Paxton. "No one is exempt from the governor's executive order on medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures, including abortion providers."
Failure to comply with the Texas executive order could mean fines of up to $1,000 or 180 days in jail.
Jonathan Saenz, president and attorney for the group Texas Values, welcomed the decision.
"Abortion is not essential healthcare," he said March 23. "At a time when so many lives are at risk, we should all be able to agree that efforts to protect people from the coronavirus should be more important than the taking of a human life through abortion."
Tara Pohlmeyer, communications manager with the pro-abortion rights group Progress Texas, criticized the action.
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"Instead of trying to distract with ideology, state lawmakers should focus on prioritizing public health and safety measures," she said, according to the New York Times.
On March 24, the Catholic Medical Association, along with several other medical groups, issued statement explaining that abortion "generates more patients to be seen in already overburdened emergency rooms. Most abortion providers instruct women to go to an emergency room if they have any concerning symptoms after the abortion. Approximately 5% of women who undergo medication abortions will require evaluation in an emergency room, most commonly for hemorrhage. Surgical abortions can also result in hemorrhage. Emergency room personnel – who are already struggling to meet the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic – will be further strained to provide care to these women".
In Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Washington state, where pro-abortion rights support is strong, officials have said that orders halting elective surgeries do not apply to abortions.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has suspended non-essential business and elective medical procedures but did not clarify whether this included an elective abortions. The state of Louisiana has ordered a delay in non-essential medical procedures but it is also unclear whether elective abortions are included.