Covid-19 and Home Funeral Care

by Merilynne Rush
Virus can live for 5-6 days in the body after death, 3-4 days on a moist surface
  • Especially in an anaerobic state where the body produce heat through decay and keeps the virus alive
  • Think of it as being similar to HIV; treat it like any other virus
  • Take precautions 
Care of the body – much is unknown still, so use precautions
  • If death occurs in-home and suspect respiratory failure, create some kind of barrier to mucus membranes, eyes, nose, mouth to where you feel comfortable.
  • Before moving the body, placing a hood or something over the entire body so that anything that may come out will be trapped by a double layer sheet
  • Double-layered sheet is going to be very similar to an inexpensive mask, we think
  • Be respectful to the family
  • May come to using trash bag liner over the head
  • Nothing wrong with washing down the body with Lysol wipes if you can find them
  • Make them with bleach, 90-proof alcohol, or if need be rubbing alcohol
  • Most sanitizer is 90-proof
  • Ugly dog distillery making hand sanitizer in bulk for 1st responders and hospitals
  • We don’t know if freezing with dry ice works to kill the virus - Not enough data
  • Formaldehyde will kill it on contact instantly
  • Need data on what happens when you freeze a body
Funerals and memorial services are essential activities
  • Don’t have to delay
  • Michigan governor going against CDC recommendations saying ok to gather in groups of 50; CDC saying 10
Dry Ice
  • Meijer’s may be an essential place to visit because grocery store
  • Washtenaw Dairy may close because it’s non-essential
  • Dry ice supply may not last
Memorial services virtually
  • Bandwidth is not dependable
  • Not discouraging people from having a home funeral
  • Be careful if there were any respiratory complications
  • Comparison to Italy – population density is a problem
  • Get enrolled in hospice to get more resources
Don’t try to do it on your own
  • Complicates the death, puts too much need on first responders that could be avoided
  • Larger hospices are used to dealing with home funeral and green burial
  • We can talk about it and try to come up with ways to help people
  • Don’t stir mass hysteria
  • If people have questions, please reach out
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​Compassionate Communities: A Public Health Approach to End-of-Life Care by Merilynne Rush, MSHP, RN, BSN