Life with COVID: Attending a Funeral

COVID-19 has definitely changed the landscape of how we do many things. One of these things is how we attend services at funeral homes in Saskatoon, SK. In the peak COVID waves, many people opted to have virtual services either as a choice to help protect guests or due to restrictions placed as part of lockdowns. 

Although we are understanding COVID-19 better, there are still instances where you may be hesitant to attend a service in person. Some of these include if you are at higher risk or if there is a big wave and high positivity rate. If you are concerned about attending a service, there are things you can do to help protect yourself. These include: 

• Wear a mask - Wearing a mask is important in helping you stay out of contact with COVID and ensuring you stay healthy as it helps keep the COVID particles from entering your body. 
  
• Don’t share food or drinks – If you are sharing food or drinks with someone, you will have a higher risk of contracting COVID should they have it. To keep yourself safe, do not share any food or drinks or take food from anyone else’s plate. 
  
• Avoid hugging or shaking hands - We are all too familiar with the phrase “social distancing”, but it is drilled into our heads for a reason. The closer you are in contact with someone with COVID, the more likely chance you will contract it as well. 
• Follow any funeral home rules or guidelines - Make sure to comply with any rules or regulations the funeral home or other location has set in place. 
  

If you are wanting to attend a service in person, but not sure if you should, there are some things you can ask yourself to help you decide. 

• Your Overall Health – We have learned that those with comprised immune systems are much more susceptible to complications from COVID. Because of this, if you are at all in a high risk category, talk to your doctor about wanting to attend and see if they approve. 
  
• Relationship to the Deceased – If you were very close to the deceased, you may wish to attend the service. However, if your relationship with the deceased was a distant one, it might be better if you attend virtually (if there is that option), or simple skip the service and send funeral flowers or a care package instead. 
  
• Travel Restrictions - During peak COVID times, traveling can be rather challenging. This may be due to actual restrictions or because of staff shortages. If you are traveling during this time, be prepared for delays and cancellations. 
  
• Virtual Option - Check and see if there is a virtual option to view the service. Many funeral homes have live streaming available. Also with platforms such as Facebook offering streaming, families can use their own accounts to livestream the service. 

While COVID-19 has changed the landscape of how we attend services at funeral homes in Saskatoon SK, that doesn’t mean you still can’t attend in person. If you would like to know more about our COVID policies, give us a call anytime as our knowledgeable staff are here to answer any questions you may have.