And in recent months the man who's heard all of those excuses is popular Funeral Director Andrew Munnings. In a statement posted to his Facebook page today, he condemned the KHMH's request to have families quickly claim the bodies of loved ones who have died of COVID-19.
He says that the expectation, especially under the present circumstances, that those bodies should be claimed in 24 hours is unreasonable given the fact that so many families are facing mounting financial crisis, and that families are quote: "Not trained or prepared to facilitate the risk associated with the transportation of a body." He goes on to say that in such a case where the family cannot afford an undertaker, the Ministry of Health should quote: "Provide transportation help to make sure caskets and bodies are safely transported to the cemetery."
Munnings says that it's, quote: "Unfair to expect [families] to find funds within 24 hours" citing the fact that not even the $1,500 Social Security funeral grant would be released within 24 hours of a person's death.
He recommends that GOB finds cold storage to preserve and hold COVID bodies for up to 5 days, and that the Ministry of Health facilitate expedient service on COVID death certificates, The third is that City and Town councils have grave spaces on hand at cemeteries to host short notice funerals and that they create a "Grace Fund" that would allow for families facing a Covid funeral to pay later.
And rounding out his post Munnings said, quote: "No family member wants to see their loved one thrown in a dirt hole because they require more time to find funds to give their loved one a decent casket and tomb." End quote.
