Coping with bereavement and coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic is coping with a bereavement even harder. We can help you get through this time.
Arranging or attending a funeral is a very personal and emotional time and knowing what to do at the moment can be tricky. So, what should you do during the coronavirus outbreak?
Yes, under the new national restrictions, you can still attend a funeral or a linked ceremonial event, such as a wake, stone setting, or the sprinkling of someone's ashes.
However, you shouldn't attend a funeral if you’re displaying any symptoms of coronavirus.
Even if you don't have symptoms, there are things to consider before attending a funeral:
Everyone attending must wear a face covering in any places of worship, the crematorium and burial group chapel – unless they have a good reason not to.
Travelling to the venue
When travelling to a funeral or linked ceremonial event you should travel in a car by yourself or with those in your household or support bubble, particularly if you've been advised to shield or are breaking a period of self-isolation to attend.
If travelling in a funeral director's vehicle, you must wear a face covering unless you are exempt from doing so. You might also want to consider seating arrangement and maximise distance where possible.
Yes, you can still arrange a funeral but only up to 30 people can attend - whether it's indoors or outdoors. However, if it's being held indoors, the venue may only be able to safely accommodate fewer than 30. This should be communicated to you by the venue manager when you make your plans.
You can also arrange a linked ceremonial event such as a wake, stone setting, or the sprinkling of someone's ashes but only up to 6 people can attend these. This event can take before or after someone's funeral. You can hold these events indoors in places such as community centres or hotels as well as places of worship, cemeteries and crematoria but it must be in a coronavirus-secure way. You can speak to the funeral director about where this might be possible.
However, you can't hold any ceremonial event at your house or private garden.
If you're travelling to a funeral from a Tier 4 area, the ceremony must be in line with Tier 4 rules even if it's taking place in another area. This means up to 30 people can attend but no more than 6 can attend a linked event, such as a wake.
When arranging a funeral at the moment, it's worth considering the following before you contact a funeral director:
The death of someone close to us can be one of the hardest things we ever have to deal with – grief is never easy. But at the moment it may seem just that bit harder as we feel more detached from our usual support networks. Cruse Bereavement Care have more information on dealing with a bereavement during the coronavirus outbreak.
As well as the considerations above, there are certain things you should do on the day to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
If you can’t be at the funeral there are things you can do to help you feel like you’re a part of it. You could light a candle, or sit in quiet reflection, or do a reading. These can help you feel like you are saying goodbye.
For more information about the current guidelines you can visit the following websites:
The coronavirus pandemic is coping with a bereavement even harder. We can help you get through this time.
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