Wishing first and foremost that everyone stays healthy.
We are all dealing with a very challenging situation, so let’s hope that the voluntary measures of everyone around the world, plus all of the official restrictions and decisions being made, will help to deflate the rate at which Corona is spreading. Most European governments are reacting in a similar way.
Specifically for our profession, governments and/or national funeral associations around Europe are recommending procedures based on the development of the virus. Some examples:
- Italy: funeral ceremonies forbidden across the country, funeral transports only allowed from place of death cemetery/crematoria, for corona deceased and no viewing whatsoever, kept closed following infectious disease protocol, strict restrictions on number of mourners allowed into mortuary for non-corona deaths
- Sweden: no autopsy, no embalming, body bag, no restrictons of ceremony or burial/cremation
- Germany: pre-cautions and handling as infectious disease, no open coffin, no restrictions on type of burial
- Portugal: no treatment of body, two body bags, desinfection liquid between the body bags and strict use of PPE. No wake or vigil for theses cases
- Netherlands: funerals of more than 30 people prohibited, funeral director should not visit family of corona deceased, but arrange ceremony by phone
