We are experiencing death and non- death related loses during this time as a result of Covid-19. There are loses of productivity, livelihoods, dreams, hopes, plans and aspirations of 2020. We are also losing loved ones in a sudden or unexpected way. Loss increases our vulnerability to mental health challenges which include depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

Mourning rituals
After we have lost our loved ones we would like to be given the opportunity to mourn them in the way that gives us closure. We would like to say goodbye, giving them a befitting send of that honours them and the contribution that theymade in our lives. Covid-19 is not only robbing us of our loved ones but it is also denying us the opportunity to mourn them and observe burial rites and rituals that we traditionally engage in. This in itself is stressful and causes significant distress.

Covid-19 is also said to spread significantly during funerals if the person who would have passed on had it. Therefore, funerals are also places were we have to be careful about attending as well as keeping safe. It can be hard to not attend but when we do we must try our best to stay safe. We also have to avoid a lot of sentimentality especially with rituals around washing the body (kugezesa chitunha), having the box sleep in the house etc. In DRC funeral rituals killed many people during the days of Ebola as they would go and dig up loved ones that would have been burried by the state so that they could do the funeral rituals.

It’s hard to say goodbye and to not give a fitting send off to loved ones especially if they have just suddenly died or collapsed as we have heard in many Covid cases. We need to help ourselves & others to grieve and observe funeral rights in other ways.