Safe body handling and mourning ceremonies for COVID-19 affected communities
July 21, 2020
Safe body handling and mourning ceremonies for COVID-19 affected communities: Implementation guidance for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has extensive experience supporting safe Management of the Dead (MotD) in infectious disease outbreaks. This includes procedures and approaches designed to prevent transmission of epidemic diseases after death through body handling or funerals. This guidance aims to help National Societies during the implementation of the main recommendations provided in the existing guidance for the MotD in COVID-19 related scenarios, namely handling of the dead during recovery, transportation, preparation and storage procedures, as well as in support of safe body handling procedures and mourning ceremonies led by local authorities or communities themselves (see annexes).
