Leading pro-life groups, including Students for Life of America, released a letter today warning public health officials not to exploit the coronavirus crisis to push an abortion agenda.

The letter, which was organized by Susan B. Anthony List, is addressed to Alex Azar, Secretary of Health and Human Services.

It states in part, “As our country comes together to battle the threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus), Americans are heroically rising to the challenge of social distancing and helping the vulnerable. Aware of the importance not only of such practices as donating personal protective equipment to medical personnel, each of us is also responding to the call to examine how we can lessen demands on our health care system for equipment and services needed by those who are ill or at increased risk. Recognizing that this number is already intolerably high and can rapidly surge, we are heeding calls and directives to come to the aid of others in this urgent situation.”

“Unfortunately, there is one clear outlier –the abortion industry, including the largest abortion chain in the nation, Planned Parenthood. In acts of manifest fearmongering and self-interest, they are exploiting the anxiety of women and couples by continuing to promote abortion in communities across the country. Planned Parenthood is responsible for nearly 346,000 abortions in the last reporting year, including both surgical and medical procedures carried out in many locations all the way to 24 weeks of pregnancy. By ceasing both surgical and chemical abortions now, Planned Parenthood will free up much needed medical equipment and decrease the demand placed on ER’s due to complications from both medical and surgical abortion. This will protect women who will, without doubt, need follow-up care, including infection treatment and transfusions, from the nation’s emergency care centers and hospitals.”

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, recently warned of the ways the abortion industry is overreaching during the crisis.

She wrote in townhall.com,  “In some unprecedented power grabs, abortion advocates are using the crisis of the coronavirus to infiltrate the medical profession and taxpayer resources with political overreach that attempts to make the business of abortion the one thing in America that doesn’t come to a halt.”

She points out seven different overreaches, including, “Overreach #1: Pretending that abortion is healthcare, an “essential service.” The abortion industry has argued that in light of the need to prioritize essential and nonessential care for Covid-19 sufferers and the public at large, abortion must be considered a vital procedure” and “Overreach #3: Urging Americans to stock up on birth control so that when the quarantine is over, we don’t welcome new life.”

So far, more than 4,000 pro-life citizens have called on their governors to shut down abortion facilities in order to redirect valuable personal protective equipment to fight the coronavirus.

You can read more about that and send a message to your governor here.