As the guidelines on Covid deaths have been updated, Covid infected bodies can be handed over to relatives and cremated or buried within 24 hours. This is in line with the new guidelines on Covid issued by the Director General of Health Services on March 2.
According to this circular EPID / 400/2019 / n-Cov 19, a body that has been confirmed to be infected with the Cov 19 virus can be released to relatives. When the body is handed over by the health department, it should be kept with a leak proof body bag and kept in a coffin . Embalming of corpses is also not permitted and transpotaion of the body to a home or funeral parlour is not allowed. However, it is stated that the body can be cremated in a crematorium of one’s choice and buried if required.
The coffin should be provided by the relevant relatives and no money will be spent by the government for the funeral, the Director General of Health Services said in the circular.
In addition, the Director General of Health Services has stated in this circular that PCR examinations for deaths in hospitals and the community will no longer be mandatory and that some guidelines have been issued for post-mortem PCR examinations.
The Director General of Health Services said the new guidelines were based on the emerging knowledge about the Covid 19 virus, clinical experience and the large number of people covered by the vaccine.