Coronavirus: Funeral services face possible limits on number of mourners

‘If there are restrictions on numbers gathering, bereaved people need to know exactly what this means,’ says UK funeral directors’ association

Families could be facing strict limits on how many are allowed to attend funeral services during the coronavirus outbreak, as the government brings in radical “social distancing” measures in a bid to combat the disease.

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) is calling for clear guidance on holding cremations and burials – and whether some people may have to be told they cannot attend loved ones’ burials and cremations.

Earlier this month the NAFD suggested some may have to watch memorial services online since many crematoria were already set up to share ceremonies via “webcasting”.

But the NAFD said it wasn’t “fair” to leave individual directors to bring in their own controls, or decide how many people may be able to gather at once.

Jon Levett, the association’s chief executive, said: “Funeral directors need a very clear national policy to work to and we are concerned by inconsistencies of advice appearing across the UK which is making it impossible for funeral directors to give accurate advice.”

He added: “For example, if there are restrictions on numbers of people gathering, bereaved people need to know exactly what this means for funeral services and how funeral directors can support them.”

It follows a plan published by the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD) for managing the outbreak, which called for the memorial services of Covid-19 victims to be postponed.

The approach has since been changed to allow the funerals of coronavirus victims to take place in Ireland, but attendance has been restricted to close family members only. Open caskets have been banned, but the IAFD has pointed out that coronavirus victims do not “generally” create a serious health hazard after death.

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Representatives of the UK’s funeral directors, crematoria and cemeteries will meet with Cabinet Officials officials today to discuss possible new guidelines, including safe ways to manage the burial and cremation of coronavirus victims.

Measures to speed up funerals at a time the death toll from the virus is expected to rise are believed to be part of the emergency legislation to be outlined today by health secretary Matt Hancock.

According to The Times, health professionals other than doctors could be allowed sign off cause of death certificates. The newspaper quoted from a draft government document which stated: “In a reasonable worst-case scenario the death management industry will be rapidly overwhelmed.”

The NAFD said it would asking government to explain how funeral directors can access supplies they may need, such as personal protective equipment – as well as how the sector can cope with the peak of the outbreak.