Funeral directors say they are unable to obtain protective gear, such as masks and gloves because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured is a nurse wearing protective gear in the US. Photo/AP.
Funeral directors say they are unable to obtain protective gear, such as masks and gloves because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured is a nurse wearing protective gear in the US. Photo/AP.
Pressure is hitting the country's funeral directors as the Covid-19 pandemic leaves them unable to obtain masks, sanitiser and other essential protective equipment to uplift bodies.
Funeral Directors Association of NZ says it has asked the Ministry of Health for the past week to secure stock of personal protective equipment(PPE) that they hold, allowing funeral directors uplifting bodies in the community to be able to do their work.
"As yet we haven't got a reply back other than 'we'll look into that and come back to you'," said FDANZ president Gary Taylor.
Equipment included full hazmat suits, glasses and gloves as a precaution when handling all deaths now in light of Covid-19. One funeral director reported having just four masks left.
"There are funeral homes with less than four weeks' supply of PPE and our suppliers only have a couple of weeks' supply at the current rate of demand.
"If we get to a point where we didn't have any more PPE we would have to think about how we carry out our normal transfers in the community to funeral homes," he said.
"Currently our funeral directors are looking at every uplift as a potential case of Covid-19 so they're using PPE in all of the circumstances."
Adrian Catran is chairman of the New Zealand Independent Funeral Homes Inc, which represents 20 funeral homes in New Zealand not owned by overseas companies. He has the country's longest-serving funeral homes,Twentymans in Thames.
Twentymans Funeral Directors' Adrian and Julie Catran. Photo/ Supplied
A set of protective equipment including a mask was used for each deceased person. Catran had four left.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said the ministry was working with funeral directors to identify exactly what was needed.
"We are also looking at the supplies of PPE that we have and prioritising who should have access to PPE based on their risk of exposure to Covid-19, ensuring that workers who have the highest risk of exposure have access to supplies."
The ministry is reminding people that gathering together for funerals and tangi is not permitted while New Zealand is at alert level 4. Advice was online at https://covid19.govt.nz/help-and-advice/for-everyone/funerals-and-tangi/.
"Some funeral directors have been offering bereaved families options that include remote viewing, recording services, delaying funerals or holding memorial services at a later date.
"Funeral directors provide an essential service, and it's important everything possible is done to protect them from possible exposure to Covid-19."
ADVICE FOR FUNERAL DIRECTORS FOR GRIEVING FAMILIES - Postpone a memorial service and be prepared to be flexible with your date but make sure you still host something. - Spend as long as you can with a person who has died following the death, before the funeral director takes them away. - A death notice or In Memoriam in the newspaper is important for letting people in the community know about a death - don't rely on social media. - If you can bring a person home in their final days, and you are able to care for them, consider doing this.
