All across England people are being required to stay home. Funeral ceremonies may only be allow limited attendance and those who do attend must still follow all Covid health instructions with regards to social distancing, wearing of masks and sanitizing. The funeral industry has been thrown into turmoil at the result of the pandemic and Lodge Brothers Funeral Directors are following government guidance on managing a funeral in England, during this coronavirus pandemic.
This short explanation from Lodge Brother explains what can be expected if you need to arrange a funeral, and will help you to understand how funerals have changed over this period.
Funeral attendance is limited to 30 people or less, this is for funerals both indoors as well as outdoors. Should you hold an event which is not a funeral per say, but is a belief-based or commemorative event, only 15 people may attend, whether it be indoors or outdoors. Lodge Brothers funeral directors recommends that funerals are to be announced as by invitation only, thereby controlling the numbers of attendees to within permissible limits and ensuring that close family and friends gain preferential access to the funeral.
In line with the government guidelines, our funeral events are held in Covid secure venues that have been through thorough health and safety risk assessments, ensuring that all risks regarding the coronavirus are mitigated and limited.
In the event that your loved one has passed from covid-related complications, family members who have been in contact with the deceased must remain in isolation for the prescribed amount of time and personal attendance to the funeral will not be permitted. Remote attendance is the alternative to curb the potential spreading of the virus and placing other family members in harm’s way.
Government guidelines state that funerals should not be delayed in order to accommodate family members finishing isolation. This is hardest on loved ones left behind to accept however, Lodge Brothers funeral directors Slough, funeral directors Roehampton and funeral directors Teddington will make all of the relevant arrangements and alleviate you from any additional and undue stress resulting from the difficult circumstances that you are already facing. It is a well-known fact that funerals are a vital part of the grieving process however priority must remain to contain the virus, in order to ensure that no one suffers unnecessarily and becomes ill themselves, placing their own lives in danger as well. Families need their members who are Covid free, to stay that way so that life can carry on as best physically possible under these trying circumstances.
Family members and friends who are not part of the family bubble who wish to travel in order to attend the funeral, should chose to stay in a hotel or guest house where they will not be exposed to other family members who may be isolating or in quarantine.
All mourners must follow Covid rules and remain compliant to those rules throughout the event. Funerals can be held in a shorter period, or in rotation, so that respects can still be paid to the deceased yet in a safe environment.
