Outcry in Sri Lanka as the government mandates cremation only for COVID-19 victims

Amnesty International calls out the Sri Lanka government for forcing Muslim COVID-19 victims to be cremated against families’ wishes. On March 31st the Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health issued COVID-19 guidelines saying the standard procedure of disposing bodies should be…

European casket producers increase production to keep up with the coronavirus demand

Casket producers around the world are feeling the impact of the coronavirus. Where many businesses have to shut their doors, casket producers have stepped up and increased production capacity to keep up with the demand.  Funeral homes are running through…

Death Care PPE is quickly dwindling, will governments step in?

Worldwide there is a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) available. Generally PPE will go to hospitals first, since they are dealing with those living with the virus, but will this leave funeral home employees at risk? Governments around the…

Ecuadorian deceased left on the streets due to insufficient facilities and caskets
On social media photos and videos have been circulating of bodies left on the streets of Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador. A local funeral home owner stated that they were unable to keep up with the demands. Ecuador now…
10 updates death care providers are making due to coronavirus

Funeral homes and those who work with individuals at the end of their life are facing new realities due to the rapid spread of coronavirus. Funeral homes are being forced to make unnatural amendments to their offerings that correspond to…

Trappist monks donate caskets to underprivileged COVID-19 victims

Trappist Monks give back by making coffins available to families in need. New Melleray Abbey, was founded in 1849 by Cistercian monks from Mount Melleray Abbey in Ireland. The monks have been able to keep the abbey running and continue…

Creative solutions to storing COVID-19 deceased around the world

What started in Wuhan as an outbreak, has now grown to a pandemic of an unprecedented scale. Worldwide outbreaks are causing healthcare systems to become overloaded and the body count is rising faster than funeral homes are able to handle.…

Face mask innovation for the deaf & hard of hearing

The world is donning masks at every level of society, from grocery store clerks to medical professionals, protecting not just themselves, but the community from the spread of coronavirus. However, there is one group who is seriously handicapped by the…

Digital Spaces to commemorate loved ones

As life becomes increasingly digital so does the interest in creating a digital, potentially multifaceted, memorial of those who have passed. Obituaries have traditionally been placed in a local paper so the community can learn of a passing or potentially…

How the coronavirus spreads at funerals

Funerals around the world are being limited or banned due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Grieving relatives of the deceased might not always understand why they are being forced to change their traditions, but it’s important to protect…