The International Committee of the Red Cross Geneva is appealing to authorities to urgently plan ahead to ensure Corona virus dead bodies are properly handled and buried.
In a statement to CRN, ICRC warns that the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 could overwhelm local capacity to handle bodies properly.
‘Officials can overcome this risk through proper preparation and planning so that the dignity of the deceased and surviving family is respected. The failure to plan and prepare for mass casualties risks people being buried in mass graves, with few records and little understanding of who died and where the body was taken. The suffering of people not knowing where their loved ones are buried could be devastating”, says Oran Finnegan, the head of the forensics unit at the ICRC.
Finnegan assures that ‘Mass fatality planning doesn’t mean there will be mass fatalities. But it’s imperative that plans are made and, if needed, carried out to help lower the pain that families and broader society feel in the face of a high death toll’
The head of the forensics unit at the ICRC warns that in conflict zones, the situation could be even direr due to limited capacity to properly handle high numbers of deaths.
Finnegan calls for establishment or activation of emergency response plans before any crisis overwhelms responders and resources.
When it comes to handling of the dead, the ICRC advises the relevant authorities to observe the safety and wellbeing of staff managing COVID-19 deaths by ensuring use of appropriate personal protective gear, the head of the forensics unit adds.
Finnegan says authorities must make sure respect for deceased individuals and their families are ensured through proper burials or cremations with identification and documentation.
Authorities should ensure they have the physical structures needed for storage of bodies, enough burial spaces and perform burials or cremations according to cultural and religious needs, the head of the forensics adds.
Finnegan calls for adaptation of preventive measures in detention facilities, refugee camps, and large city slums, including dispelling myths and ensuring preparedness to deal with higher numbers of deaths.
‘It’s critical that families and communities have clear information about any necessary measures put in place to deal with high numbers of deaths. This helps to reduce the psychological impact on families and improve adherence to the measures’.