No hugs: Even funerals have to change to combat COVID-19

Canada's COVID-19 response has delayed some collection of taxes, but certainly not death.

The tough reality is, families who have lost a loved one at this time, are having to contemplate funeral services that some people don't want to attend.

So how do you celebrate the life of the deceased, when gatherings are advised against and touching is frowned upon?

Saint John funeral director Karen Belyea says there are some options to consider.

"We are offering webcasting of funerals as opposed to having people in our chapel," says Belyea, managing director of Brenan's.

"And where appropriate, we are postponing gatherings to help reduce the risk."

In cases where the deceased is not cremated, which they are about 60 per cent of the time, Belyea says staff are trained to prepare a body so that a traditional funeral service can be delayed by a couple of months or longer.

No hugs

Funeral home employees are also changing their routines to reduce the risk of infection.  

"We don't pass out bulletins anymore," said Belyea. "We just kind of encourage people to take them at the door."

There's also more restraint around offering physical comfort.

"It's difficult for us to not hug people at times or receive hugs but we're encouraging none of that between staff and families," she said.

"We're just trying to find ways to show that we care, without touch."

According to Statistics Canada, 7644 people died in New Brunswick in 2018.

On average, that's 637 per month.

Belyea says funeral workers are not deemed essential but they feel as though they are.