Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak is affecting not only the way people live but also the way people die, the way people handle their dead as well as their different “death” experiences. The different governments throughout the world have their own guidelines to follow in terms of management of dead bodies. But these guidelines are mostly focused on protecting the living from being contaminated with the virus. In many cases during emergency situations, dead bodies are no longer considered sacred and treated with utmost respect. On the contrary, they can even be a source of worry and fear for the government and also for some people. However, for the families and loved ones of the deceased, paying their last respect for the dead is an important part of the process of grieving, saying goodbye and accepting the fact that life here on earth is just temporary. This paper argues that in any corpse and “death” management even during emergency situations, a dialogue with culture, spirituality, faith and belief systems of the people as well as insights from psycho-therapists such as Joyce Rupp, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Victor Frankl and even the teachings of Jesus Himself, can be an important resource in helping the people cope with the loss of their loved ones and in dealing with their dead members of the family as well as their own “death” experiences during this pandemic.