On Tuesday, Abortion providers in Texas were faced with the devastating fact that they’d have to tell patients they wouldn’t be able to have an abortion *again* when Abbott’s order went back into effect. I talked to some of them about it for @Rewire_News: https://rewire.news/article/2020/04/02/sadness-beyond-tears-as-covid-19-abortion-ban-brings-chaos-to-texas-clinics/

One provider was excited to go to work on Tuesday, because she’d be seeing patients who had already rescheduled their appointments last week, and new patients visiting for the first time. But things changed by mid day, and patients were crying, frustrated, angry.

They didn’t understand why this was happening, and even cited the #COVID19Pandemic as their reasoning for having an abortion. “That’s the excuse the state is using to deny their abortion care,” the counselor said. “It’s just so cruel and calculated.”

Flyers with information about out-of-state abortion care, practical support organizations for patients, and abortion funds are typically given to patients who are over the gestational limit to have an abortion in Texas.

But because of Tuesday’s ruling, the counselor’s clinic provided all patients with this information. “It was so surreal handing [the resource flyer] to every patient, knowing that going out of state during a public health crisis could be dangerous or too expensive.”

“Patients should have access to abortion care in their own communities. They shouldn’t have to risk their health to travel for such a simple and safe procedure.”