Barnegat Mayor Contrasts Coronavirus Death Toll With Abortions

BARNEGAT, NJ — Barnegat Mayor John J. Novak received criticism over comments decrying coronavirus restrictions and comparing deaths from the virus to the annual number of abortions in the United States.

Novak made the comments in a recent letter to the editor on TAPinto Barnegat/Waretown.

"According to the CDC, each year approximately 600,000+ little babies are killed in the womb at the hands of doctors," Novak wrote in the letter published Sunday.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 623,471 "legal induced abortions" were reported nationally in 2016. Patch wasn't able to find anywhere in the CDC's language that mentioned "killing" or "little babies."

Novak also did not list which restrictions, if any, he would like to see lifted. The mayor did not return Patch's requests for additional comment or permission to republish the letter in full. The letter can be seen here.

The mayor cited that the number of reported coronavirus deaths — 48,816 when he submitted his letter — is smaller than the annual number of abortions. The CDC has reported 57,505 coronavirus deaths as of Wednesday. Health officials reported the first COVID-19 death in the United States on Feb. 29.

The National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) Pro-Choice America criticized Novak's remarks. Organization spokesperson Amanda Theyer gave Patch the following statement:

"Unfortunately, it’s not surprising that another anti-choice politician is exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic in order to attack reproductive freedom. Now more than ever, we need to rely on the advice of medical experts and call out the radical right’s attempt to spread health disinformation in a desperate effort to push their hugely unpopular agenda of banning abortion. Women should be able, now more than ever, to make their own decisions about pregnancy with those they love and trust, free from political interference.”

National, state and local officials have instituted restrictions because of COVID-19. In New Jersey, that has included a stay-at-home order, school closures, an order to wear face masks in essential businesses, suspension of jury trials and a travel advisory.

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Many restrictions nationwide have drawn polarizing reactions, including criticism from public officials. Monmouth County officials, for instance, criticized Governor Phil Murphy for closing state and county parks. Murphy announced Wednesday he would life the ban.

"While I firmly believe there was no scientific justification to close these facilities in the first place, I want to praise the administration for hearing the calls to reopen now," said State Senator Declan O'Scanlon. Read more: All Monmouth County Parks Reopen Saturday; Local Officials Cheer

Barnegat Township announced Wednesday it would lift some restrictions on closures, including reopening the docks and allowing passive recreation in parks. Read more: Barnegat Parks, Municipal Dock Open For Certain Activities

The Ocean County Health Department has reported 189 coronavirus cases and nine deaths in Barnegat as of Thursday morning, along with 178 cases and 13 deaths in Stafford. The OCHD is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health for the definition of "recovery" before reporting the data.

"48,000 deaths has altered, in a bad way, our freedoms and our individual liberties so much and so fast that at least a million who served must be rolling over in their graves!" Novak wrote. "God help the United States of America."

Read Novak's letter to the editor in TAPinto Barnegat/Waretown.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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