Guidance updated to support the safe management of funerals

News story GUIDANCE UPDATED TO SUPPORT THE SAFE MANAGEMENT OF FUNERALS Further guidance for those managing or organising funerals during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. This was published

under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government Public Health England (PHE) has issued further guidance for those managing or organising funerals during the coronavirus COVID-19

pandemic. The guidance aims to ensure that bereaved people are treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect, while protecting individuals, communities and those in the funeral industry from

the risk of infection. The guidance details where exceptions can be made to the stay at home advice currently in place to allow families and friends[1] to attend funerals and say goodbye to

loved ones, including those who are self-isolating or who have been defined as extremely clinically vulnerable, should they wish to. The advice includes: * those who have symptoms of

coronavirus COVID-19 must not attend and must stay at home * limiting the numbers in attendance to as low as possible to ensure safe social distancing. Numbers can be determined by the size

and circumstance of the venue * observing social distancing guidance across all aspects of attending a funeral * people who are extremely clinically vulnerable (shielded) can attend with

measures put in place to reduce their risk * people self-isolating because someone in their household is ill may attend if they do not have symptoms themselves Professor Paul Cosford, Public

Health England’s Emeritus Medical Director, said: > Every death is a tragedy and it’s important that family and > friends can mourn as they need to. This revised guidance strikes a

> careful balance between our need to mark the life of a loved one > when we are bereaved and minimising the risk of spreading > coronavirus infection. Bereavement impacts people

differently but a range of support is available, including: * The NHS * Cruse Bereavement Care (offers advice and support on dealing with bereavement and grief during the coronavirus

outbreak) * ataloss.org (provides the UK’s signposting website for the bereaved) * If you are supporting a bereaved child or young person the Childhood Bereavement Network has information

and links to national and local organisations [1] only the following should attend: members of the person’s household; close family members or if these people above are unable to attend,

close friends; a celebrant of choice, should the bereaved request this. SHARE THIS PAGE The following links open in a new tab * Share on Facebook (opens in new tab) * Share on Twitter (opens

in new tab) UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 19 April 2020