Can the Family Go to a Military Cemetary When the Body Is Buried?
On this page
- Objectives
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- Take chances to funeral directors and mortuary personnel
- Preparing to manage bodies with COVID-19
- Precautions while treatment the body
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Aerosol generating procedures
- Body bags
- Handling of bodies
- Transportation of bodies
- Embalming
- Viewing the body
- Funeral Services
- Burial of bodies
- Cremation of bodies
- Further data
- Document information
Objectives
This guidance is based on what is currently known about COVID-19 and genetic variants of SARS-CoV-ii that have emerged throughout the world. The virus is predominantly spread through contact with contaminated respiratory aerosol released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Spread from contact with contaminated easily, surfaces or objects is thought to be rare.
The appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the use of infection and control procedures past funeral directors, mortuary personnel and cemetery staff, volition substantially reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 from a deceased person who is infected with COVID-19. The greatest risk of manual is likely to be from contact with family unit members attending the funeral abode, mortuary or cemetery, who do not wear masks, practice physical distancing and hand hygiene.
The following precautionary strategies should exist used to minimise public health risks and to prevent spread of affliction:
- Contact and droplet precautions should be used when handling deceased bodies confirmed or suspected to have COVID-xix
- For ship and storage, the trunk must be placed and secured in a bag or wrapping in a manner that prevents leakage; double bagging may exist required to reach this
- The body bag must be labelled "COVID-19 – Handle with care"
- Avoid unnecessary manipulation of the trunk equally there is a risk that air may be expelled from the lungs
- Funeral Directors who are required to handle deceased bodies must wear appropriate PPE at all times
- Embalming of a trunk confirmed or suspected to have COVID-xix is not recommended
- Family viewing of the deceased may occur; however, family members should be wearing a mask and avoid any contact with the body, if contact occurs advise to perform hand hygiene
- Paw hygiene should be performed by funeral and cemetery staff before and after contact with the deceased body, coffin or shroud
- Clean all surfaces and equipment regularly with a detergent and disinfectant or dual purpose product included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods every bit a listed disinfectant with a specific virucidal ("kills viruses") claim
- Maintain the recommended physical distance from families and friends of the deceased
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What is the COVID-19 virus?
COVID-19 is a disease caused past a new strain of coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, that has non been previously identified in humans.
COVID-19 is spread through aerosol produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or past indirect contact with contaminated hands, surfaces or objects. People are at most run a risk of infection if they come in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. COVID-19 spread within households is very mutual.
The COVID-19 Delta variant is more than easily spread and causes more astringent illness than previous strains in unvaccinated people.
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Risk to funeral directors, mortuary personnel and cemetery staff
There is no evidence of increased risk of manual of COVID-19 to funeral and cemetery workers who handle the bodies confirmed or suspected to exist infected with COVID-19. The greatest run a risk is likely to come up from failure to use correct infection prevention and command measures and close contact with family members.
The NSW government has more data on stopping the spread
Funeral industry personnel and cemetery staff should notwithstanding employ infection prevention and control measures when treatment bodies. Further information go to the 
NSW Infection Prevention and Control Policy (PD2017_013).
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Preparing to manage bodies with COVID-19
Before accepting deceased persons with COVID-19, funeral directors should review their own infection prevention and control policies and procedures and ensure staff are familiar with these practices. This may include providing grooming in hand hygiene and how to put on and remove PPE safely.
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Precautions for funeral directors while handling the torso include:
- Avoid unnecessary manipulation of the body, including ritual preparations, as there is a risk that air may be expelled from the lungs
- Adhere to standard precautions and wearable appropriate PPE while handling the body at all times
- Exercise hand hygiene practices before and afterwards contact with the trunk
- Perform regular ecology decontamination including all surfaces and equipment with a detergent and disinfectant or dual-purpose production included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods equally a listed disinfectant with a specific virucidal ("kills viruses") claim.
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Standard infection prevention and control, occupational health and safe guidelines should e'er be followed while handling and preparing a body. All staff should exist trained in the correct utilize of PPE.
Persons in close contact with the trunk must wear:
- a make clean protective outer garment, such as a gown (impervious or fluid resistant dispensable gown)
- disposable gloves
- a disposable surgical mask
- appropriate eye protection such as safety glasses or a confront shield.
After use, PPE should be carefully removed and decontaminated (if reusable) or disposed of into full general waste as soon as practicable.
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Droplets generating procedures
The COVID-19 Delta variant is easily transmissible but the mode of spread is similar to initial strain, it is still droplet, with opportunistic airborne. Aerosol generating procedures should be avoided if possible. Airborne precautions should exist employed when performing aerosol generating procedures, such as post-mortem utilize of oscillating or fast-spinning ability tools.
Airborne precautions include:
- disposable fluid resistant long-sleeved gown
- P2/N95 respirator (mask) – should be fit checked with each utilize
- confront shield or safety spectacles
- dispensable nonsterile gloves when in contact with patient
- hand hygiene earlier donning and after removing gloves
CEC has more data on the manual-based precautions.
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Body bags
When transporting the deceased, the torso must be placed and secured in a bag or wrapping in a fashion that prevents the leakage of any exudate or other substance. Double bagging may be required to reach this.
The torso purse should exist conspicuously and permanently labelled "COVID-19 – Handle with care".
The funeral director should only temporarily remove the body to prepare the body for viewing, cremation or burial.
If the body is existence wrapped, the body should first exist placed in a body bag to prevent leakage of body fluids (double bagging may be required to achieve this) and wrapped as normal, over the trunk handbag.
Used trunk bags should be disposed of in clinical waste streams.
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Handling of bodies
Persons who may handle deceased persons with COVID-nineteen, such as funeral directors and morgue attendants, must comply with the guidelines specified in Part 3 of the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Command of Infection in Healthcare (2019) as published past the National Health and Medical Research Council. When placing a body in a handbag or wrapping, a person must comply with standard infection prevention and command procedures consequent with the NSW Infection Prevention and Control Policy (PD2017_013).
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Transportation of bodies
The owner or driver of the vehicle used to transport the deceased should exist informed that the body is confirmed or suspected to be infected with COVID-xix.
There is no alter to the usual body ship protocols for COVID-xix related deaths.
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Embalming
Embalming is not recommended for bodies who died from, or with, COVID-19 as it is not clear whether embalming is safe to practise.
If embalming must be done, the embalmer should be certified and trained in the use of PPE consistent with contact and airborne precautions. This includes a P2/N95 respirator (mask) which has been fit-checked, gown, gloves and eye protection.
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Viewing the body
Family unit or relative viewings of the deceased should be allowed to take place in a funeral director'southward mortuary facility after the trunk has been prepared.
Standard infection prevention and command precautions should exist observed. Family members should non osculation or touch the deceased to minimise the hazard of transmission.
If a family unit member does touch the torso, they should launder their easily with soap and h2o immediately afterwards or utilise an alcohol-based paw rub.
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Funeral Services
To minimise transmission of COVID-nineteen, funeral directors must comply with all Public Wellness Orders relating to gatherings and the maximum number of people who may attend a funeral or memorial service or a gathering following a funeral or memorial service.
See up-to-engagement information on Public Health Orders related to public gatherings.
The funeral director or the responsible person should implement a funerals, memorial services and wakes COVID-19 Safety Plan
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Burial
Standard infection prevention and control precautions should exist used during the burial of deceased bodies confirmed or suspected to accept COVID-xix.
Cemetery staff tasked with placing the trunk in a grave or cremation bedchamber should perform hand hygiene earlier and after contact with the deceased body.
Ecology decontamination, including all surfaces and equipment, should be completed regularly with a detergent and disinfectant or dual-purpose production included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods as a listed disinfectant with a specific virucidal ("kills viruses") merits.
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Cremation of bodies
Funeral directors must comply with the relevant NSW Public Health Regulations with regards to disposal of bodies. Infection prevention and control precautions should be used during body handling and the cremation of deceased bodies confirmed or suspected to accept COVID-19.
Removal of implanted medical devices is non recommended for bodies who died from, or with, COVID-19 as it is not clear whether it is safe to do. Cremation practices should be managed accordingly. If the device must be removed, the person removing it should be certified and trained in the use of PPE consistent with contact and airborne precautions. This includes a P2/N95 respirator which has been fit-checked, gown, gloves and center protection.
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Further information
- Contact your local Public Wellness Unit by calling 1300 066 055
- NSW Health COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)
- Clinical Excellence Commission – Coronavirus COVID-19
- Australian Government Department of Wellness Communication for funeral directors
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Document information
Developed by
Original: Environmental Health Branch
Revision: Strategic Reform and Planning Co-operative
Consultation
- NSW Wellness Pathology
- Infection Prevention and Control, NSW Clinical Excellence Commission
- Health Protection NSW
Endorsed by
Dr Nigel Lyons, Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Planning
Review appointment
08/12/2020
Reviewed by
- Wellness Protection NSW
- Infection Prevention and Control, NSW CEC
- Pathology Community of Practice
- NSW Wellness Mass Gatherings Advisory Unit
For use by
Individual funeral industry
Source: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/covid-19-funeral-directors.aspx