From Ebola to COVID-19: Reshaping Funerals and Burial Rites in Africa?
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: The coronavirus health crises is really changing the way
people say goodbye to their loved ones. This is because
corpses of victims who died as a result COVID-19 disease
are recognised to be highly infectious and contagious with
a great risk of the virus being transmitted by direct
contact with the dead bodies.Memorial services are not
allowed to be carried out with the presence of the corpse
that resulted from the disease. Safety precautions are
needed by the funeral homes when working with the
deceased body. Some communities especially in Africa
find it difficult accepting the health guidelines stipulating
burials as it involves breaking their customs and traditions
as regards to burial rites. Proper communication and
management is thus needed in communities as regards to
the methods involved in handling corpses of victims from
the COVID-19.The acceptance of safe medical burials of
the deceased by communities is a major component in
the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authors: Teh Exodus Akwa, John M. Maingi
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3047287359