THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state health department has given its nod to conduct some symbolic religious or cultural rituals while burying or cremating the bodies of people who died of COVID-19.
Health minister KK Shailaja said close relatives can see the deceased individual's face at the isolation ward/mortuary/cremation or burial site. However, the minister underscored that these relaxations will be subject to strict adherence to COVID protocols.
“The relaxations made to dead body management are subject to the COVID protocols. That means one could symbolically sprinkle holy water or cover the dead body with white sheets after health staff wash the body,” said the minister.
However, it had been made clear that under no circumstances would relatives be allowed to touch, wash, hug or kiss the dead body.
Instead upon demand, one person will be allowed to present when health staff wash the dead body. In the case of a body kept at a mortuary, one relative will be permitted to have a look.
“Family members will not be allowed to gather around to see the body at cremation/burial site. Healthcare personnel were asked to untie the body bag just enough so that kin of the deceased can have a last look,” said an officer of the health department.
It has been stipulated that a maximum of 20 people can attend a funeral function. They should follow two-metre physical distancing from one another. However, those belonging to vulnerable groups including children below 10 years of age, those above 60 years of age and those with comorbidities are not allowed to attend the function.
Earlier, members of the Muslim community filed a public interest litigation with the Kerala High Court seeking its intervention to issue directions to wash dead bodies of COVID-19 victims as per Muslim rituals.