Judge Says Trump Administration Still Can't Force Covid Exposure on Those Seeking Abortions

As the end of the Trump reign looms, the administration seems to be focusing on two things only: Pretending the election wasn’t fair and trying to expose as many Americans to covid-19 as possible. In both cases, it is usually up to American judges to poke a finger in the dam to prevent as much damage as possible in the coming weeks. A federal judge in Maryland is the latest called to step up for a turn at telling these cretins “no” by denying a Trump administration request to force those seeking abortions to risk covid-19 exposure at hospitals, clinics, or medical offices for no reason other than meanness.

Back in July, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued a temporary suspension prohibiting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from enforcing “in-person requirements” mandating that those who wanted an abortion must visit a medical professional in person. According to the AP, “In October, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government could present a request to dissolve or modify the injunction based on new evidence and directed Chuang to rule on it within 40 days.” And request they did, “that economic conditions and patients’ access to medical facilities, childcare and transportation have improved sufficiently to warrant dissolving the preliminary injunction.”

On Wednesday, Chuang ruled that this logic was bullshit because it is. Covid-19 infections are on the rise in the U.S. with hospitals reaching capacity and healthcare workers overwhelmed by the influx of patients. Abortifacient mifepristone, used in conjunction with a second drug, misoprostol, on the other hand, has been deemed safe by the FDA’s own admission for terminating a pregnancy or managing a miscarriage and can be prescribed virtually, making access to safe abortion without violating stay-at-home recommendations completely possible for the time being and also completely possible forever if all these assholes would just stay out of people’s fucking business and stop trying to pretend there is a medical reason for preventing private, medication abortions at home. Chuang’s ruling ensures that abortion drugs may be mailed or delivered throughout the pandemic.

The injunction is set to expire 30 days after U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the public health emergency, through the fact that it’s possible to provide safe access to home abortion even during a pandemic should be proof enough that it is possible and should be standard. Of course, the fact that it’s possible—and even simple—is the most likely reason anti-abortion advocates do not want people to get comfortable with not having to jump through ridiculous hoops to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.