Funerals and Covid-19
Funeral services were one of the many services which were faced with drastic changes as Government policies adapted to allow for UK lockdowns and then for social distancing to help lower the risk of spreading coronavirus.
These restrictions impacted how and by whom the deceased could be cared for, how funeral directors could communicate with bereaved families and what the options were for gathering for funerals, mourning, and memorialising activities.
Understandably, this disruption caused much distress as people weren’t able to mourn in the way they wanted to or the way they expected to. With limitations of up to 15 people in attendance at a funeral during the height of the pandemic, this was then adjusted to 30 people and gradually increased over time.
Right now, there is no longer a legal requirement for people with Covid-19 to isolate, therefore, there is no longer a restriction on how many people can attend a funeral.
When Covid-19 first started to impact funeral services, families who lost their loved ones during this time had to deal with unprecedented challenges. They were unable to say goodbye to their friends and family, unable to have loved ones support them during these funeral services, and even unable to find a permanent resting place for their loved one.
There was the added challenge of an increase in deaths at this time which meant many funeral services were postponed or took much longer than usual to organise, putting even more stress on the grieving families.
With less people around to support those grieving, it became more important than ever to pick up the phone, arrange a video call or do anything possible to help the people in need. For anyone who is organising or attending a funeral, you may want to follow some guidelines to help alleviate any risk of spreading Covid-19 as it’s still important to protect yourself and others from this virus.
Particularly at funerals, the risk of contracting Covid-19 can be higher because of increased contact between grieving loved ones and meeting others in enclosed spaces.