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Coronavirus
As a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) swept through the world in 2020, preparedness plans, masking policies and more public policy changed just as quickly. WVXU has covered the pandemic's impact on the Tri-State from the very beginning, when on March 3, 2020, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine barred spectators from attending the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus over concerns about the virus, even though Ohio had yet to confirm a single case of COVID-19.

State Mulls Over Its Next Move In Fight Over Abortion Clinics

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost
Jo Ingles
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

Earlier this week, a federal judge temporarily ruled Ohio cannot force abortion clinics to close under the coronavirus order banning elective, non-essential surgery. Now,  the state is considering its next move.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says the state still wants to stop clinics from performing surgical abortions, despite the court ruling that said it could not do that. He says it’s a matter of conserving protective equipment that he says should be directed to health care providers who are working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Whatever we can do that is going to reach that end the quickest is what we are going to do. We are consulting with the experts at the Ohio Department of Health and we will decide on our next moves," Yost says.

Jessie Hill, attorney for the ACLU of Ohio, says clinics have taken steps to reduce their use of protective equipment and are encouraging patients to get medication abortions when possible. 

Copyright 2020 The Statehouse News Bureau

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.