Former Chief Epidemiologist pulls out expert guidelines which indicate there’s no danger in burials

The debate on the burial versus cremation of those who die of COVID-19 continues, though the science seems to be clear.

While the health authorities hide behind a so-called decision of an ‘expert technical committee’, the Sunday Times looked at the scientific evidence for an answer.

The WHO is unequivocal on the matter that anyone who dies of COVID-19 could be buried or cremated, the Sunday Times learns.

Former Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe quotes four reports, three from the WHO and the fourth from the International Society for Infectious Diseases, which all indicate that there is no danger in burying the body of a person who has died of COVID-19.

The reports are: the WHO’s Interim Guidance on ‘Infection prevention and control for the safe management of a dead body in the context of COVID-19’ issued on March 24, this year, the Interim Guidance on ‘ Practical considerations and recommendations for religious leaders and faith-based communities in the context of COVID- 19’ of April 7& the Interim Guidance on ‘Infection prevention and control for the safe management of a dead body in the context of COVID19’ of September 4; and the ‘ Guide to Infection Control in the Healthcare Setting – The Infection Hazards ofHuman Cadavers’ of 2018 but relevant to the current pandemic.(All four documents may be viewed on our web:sundaytimes.lk)

From the very first WHO guideline, it is clear that there is no danger of a COVID19 virus spread from burying a deceased, says Dr. Abeysinghe quoting, “It is a common myth that persons who have died of a communicable disease should be cremated, but this is not true. Cremation is a matter of cultural choice and available resources……. To date, there is no evidence of persons having become infected from exposure to the bodies of persons who died from COVID-19.”

Another very pertinent question raised by Dr. Abeysinghe is how no one speaks of the urine and faeces passed by those who are COVID-19 positive while in hospital.