Pandemic changes way of laying loved ones to rest

In the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the United States, they are the last responders — the nation’s undertakers.

The coronavirus that has killed thousands of US citizens and disrupted so much of life, is now interfering with all aspects of death — from funeral homes to grave sites, upending the traditional way that people say goodbye to the dead.

From when a body is taken to a funeral home to when a casket is lowered into a grave or placed in a crematorium, and most of all, how people grieve, the coronavirus is changing how death is being treated.

And funeral homes in New York City are being overwhelmed with the number of bodies they are taking in. Mortuaries are storing remains in refrigerated trucks for an extended period as families postpone memorials. A funeral home in the city cannot hold more than three services a day, which allows staff to clean and disinfect in between families. Crematories have been given permission to extend operating hours and some are operating nearly round the clock.

Funeral homes are taking extra precautions when handling victims of the virus. Some have a separate decontamination zone designated for safe removal of embalming suits, gloves, masks and washing.

The 6-foot (1.8-meter) social distancing rule is present at funeral homes and grave sites, limiting the number of people who can attend. Hugs and kisses are not allowed. A funeral home in Buffalo, New York, is offering two visiting options: Mourners can either walk past the casket one at a time, or drive by in their cars.

“The process has to be simple now,’’ said Philip Co, marketing manager of Lifemark Group, which operates two funeral homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. “No more than 10 people are allowed at the funeral.”

Because of restrictions, more people are livestreaming funerals or turning to social media as a gathering space to remember the dead. Co’s funeral homes provide livestream service upon request without extra charge.

In Wisconsin, funeral homes are asking families to reduce attendance or consider delaying a large memorial service until the pandemic ends.

“In our area, we have had to have ‘adapted’ services for families. Almost every family that we have served is planning on having a more public time for extended family and community to come together for a memorial mass, memorial service, or some other type of celebration of life,” said John Wenig, president of Wenig Funeral Homes in Sheboygan Falls.