If you have recently suffered the loss of a loved one, please accept our sympathies. Whether the death was a result of COVID-19 or some other cause, you may find yourself experiencing a wide variety of emotions that come with grief. Try to practice self-care during this difficult time and resist making any hasty decisions within the first few months of your loved one’s death. 

No matter the situation surrounding the death, you probably have a lot of concerns that you wouldn’t have considered if your loved one would have died a year ago. You may wonder if it is safe to visit the body of a loved one who recently died, especially if he or she had the coronavirus. You may also wonder whether it is legal (or safe) to have a funeral for your family member. 

While you need to consult officials in your local community to find out the answers to the previous questions, we at Smart Cremation COVID-19 cremation, pandemic cremation

would like to reassure you of one thing. We are still serving our communities by providing affordable and immediate cremations for the deceased, whether or not they died from the coronavirus.

Here’s what you need to know about the legal changes to COVID-19 cremations.

Cremations During a Pandemic

It is important that you understand that our cremation experts are in constant communication with local, state, and national health officials who advise us on the most recent information about the pandemic. We have been advised of the best practices to ensure that we are performing our duties with the safety of our staff, their families, and our clients as our number one priority.

While our team is scouring the reports for protocol guidelines, the most important thing that you need to know from the Center for Disease Control is that “decedents with COVID-19 can be buried or cremated.” With this reassurance from the CDC, let Smart Cremation take care of the rest. Pandemic cremations are safe.

Having a Cremation During COVID-19

If you lost a loved one, contact Smart Cremation and our highly-trained staff will collect all the necessary details from you to help us get started in the process, whether the cremation was pre-planned or not. 

Once we have received all the information we need, we will arrange for transportation of the body. Your loved one will be entered into the Smart Cremation identification system, and all the necessary paperwork will be completed. Please note that strict safety protocols will be utilized during any interaction that you have with our staff. 

After the process is completed, the cremated remains will be returned to you. Please understand that your loved one’s remains, regardless of whether they died from the coronavirus, are not toxic or dangerous. 

At this point, you may consider planning the funeral for your loved one. 

Funerals During COVID-19

One of the most painful results of the recent pandemic is that families are struggling with the decision on whether or not it is safe to schedule funerals for their loved ones. After all, many local and state governments have mandates advising against large gatherings. On the other hand, it is tough to go through a loss without receiving comfort from friends and extended family members. 

We know this leaves you with a difficult decision. You can choose to have a small gathering of socially-distanced family members say goodbye to your loved one in a private ceremony, or you can wait for the all-clear and hold a larger funeral later. 

While we don’t envy your decision, you may be thankful that your loved one chose to be cremated. This alleviates the pressure you would have felt had your loved one chosen to be buried. You may still choose to have a more intimate farewell with close family members and friends, but the decision will be based on your desires instead of the necessity of the situation.

Smart Cremation offers a dignified alternative to your local funeral home. We offer cremations in California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Arizona. Our staff provides many of the same services you would receive at a funeral home at a much more affordable price. 

Was your loved one a veteran? We will help you sort through the end-of-life benefits that he or she may be entitled to that may reduce the cost of the cremation. 

Again, if you are mourning the loss of a loved one, we would like to offer our sincerest condolences. Please contact our staff at Smart Cremation if we can help you in any way.