Covid-19 funeral measures not designed to be insensitive

Guidelines for the arranging of funerals for victims of the coronavirus were not designed to be “insensitive to the trauma” of loved ones, funeral directors have insisted.

The Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD) this week issued a guidance policy to its members in the event of having to organise a funeral for a victim of coronavirus.

The policy says funeral services should be postponed and the deceased brought straight to a cemetery or crematorium for committal.

Public gatherings “such as church services, gatherings at funeral homes, residences, crematorium chapels etc should not take place,” it said.

Transport for families, such as limousines, should not be provided, and funeral instructions should be given “over the phone only”.

Relatives of the deceased “should not be permitted to attend the funeral director’s offices or funeral homes”.

The deceased “should always be removed from the place of death in a body bag which is not reopened” and “removal vehicles should be hygienically cleaned after the removal of remains and all gloves and other disposable equipment should be disposed of safely”.

The Dublin City Coroner confirmed there will be no post-mortem required in the event of a Covid-19 death, provided the deceased had been previously diagnosed as having contracted the disease.

The guidelines also include advice for funeral directors on how to protect themselves in the instance of organising a funeral for a victim of Covid-19.

A spokesperson for IAFD said: “Whilst this policy may make for uncomfortable reading it was not our intention to alarm the public or be insensitive to the trauma that loved ones may face should a member of their family die from the disease.

“We will continue to monitor advice from the government and although the health and safety of our members is paramount, we would assure the public that should any of our members be required to arrange a funeral, under these unprecedented circumstances, they will do so with the utmost respect and professionalism for the deceased and their bereaved family.”