DETROIT – Funeral home workers are facing unique challenges during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Lynch and Sons has funeral homes in multiple locations around Metro Detroit. Employees said right now, their job is divided into two categories: people who died from COVID-19 and people who didn’t.
Those who died from COVID-19 have to be handled very differently, workers said.
“When you’re dealing with an airborne virus that can be found in the air particles surrounding a dead human being that may be expelled ... this can jog those particles from those orifices,” said Patrick Lynch, of Lynch and Sons. “We have to be conscious of that. They are in our cars and preparation facilities.”
Lynch is a former state and national president of the Funeral Directors Association. He said the profession has had to change just to keep funeral workers safe during the pandemic.
“What’s commonly referred to as a disaster pouch -- those bags are being encouraged to use to transfer the body, rather than our transfer cot or quilt or something akin to that,” Lynch said. “We have to gown, cover our nose and eyes -- it’s treacherous territory for anyone working in and around the funeral home.”
Workers are often uncomfortable handling the bio-hazard of someone who died from COVID-19 because so much is still unknown about the virus.
“This is all very brand new,” Lynch said.
To add to the grieving process, families have to do their part. Think about immediate burial and planning a celebration of life months from now, experts said. Ask funeral directors if they can do live streams of funeral services.
But question No. 1 should be if they are comfortable and equipped to handle someone who died from COVID-19, knowing they might have to ask for a referral.