Forbes Exclusive Story On How Covid-19 Changed The Lives Of The Undertakers
UPDATED ON JAN 11 2021, 04:03 PM IST
Forbes correspondent Aishwarya NK in an exclusive story “A day in the life of an undertaker during Covid-19” covered how undertakers had helped to give a dignified farewell to the victims. She also interacted with Shruthi Reddy, our founder of Anthyesti, where she explained how our team worked in these turbulent times to give a well-deserved farewell to the deceased while adhering to social distancing norms. This piece of writing is an overview of the story covered. The coronavirus pandemic brought changes in the lives of the undertakers as well. Conducting funerals became different and more complex. While some added a see-through lid so that the deceased’s family could catch a final glimpse of their loved one, some others arranged funerals online. Those who succumbed to the Covid 19 did get a dignified farewell. Thanks to the quick adaptation in funeral services by the funeral service provider. They had to change strategies in the midst of isolation and restricted access. Initially, the undertakers were not given access to dead bodies. But as the number of deaths increased, the authorities permitted to perform burials of those who died due to the coronavirus. Anthyesti created special Covid taskforces wherein staff members volunteered to help with the Covid funerals. However, many undertakers were also facing a staff shortage since many had left for home without notice. And usually, in family undertakings, family members did partake the responsibility. With the number of deaths increasing and staff crisis, it became difficult to carry on with the burial and funeral processes. The rise in the cost of medical equipment further aggravated the problem. Prices of protective gear, PPE kits, sanitizers, gloves, etc., hugely increased and, in some cities, jumped up to three times their original price. At the same time, families would ask for funeral concessions. People lost their jobs, and some had no money at all for funerals. In such cases, many undertakers had to conduct funeral services free of cost. Despite the challenges, the focus remained on helping people without looking at the monetary benefits. Each day posed a challenge, and they had to adapt to the ever-changing situation. As people had to maintain distance and stay apart, the undertaking industry too had to make changes in the way they conducted funerals. While some made transparent lids on coffins for the services, some others used fiberglass on the top of coffins so as to give a glimpse of the deceased to their family members. They also had to depend on technology to ensure a safe and smooth service. All communications and funeral arrangements were made online. Since many near and dear ones of the deceased could not attend formal funerals, undertakers facilitated live-streamed funerals so that the families of the deceased could attend the funeral virtually. Another aspect of the undertaking is to console the bereaved family. Before the pandemic, undertakers would not just deal with the dead body but also would meet and help the grieving family come out of this. Now that they had to follow strict rules, they could no longer serve their clients in this aspect. Shruthi Reddy explained how Anthyesti would send special team to the hospitals. They would collect the dead bodies without coming into physical contact with any family member. And then organize the burial or cremation by following all the rules of social distancing. Through these challenging times, undertakers did their best to give the departed and the grieving families their due respect and concern. And make the process of death and grief hassle-free for them.
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Drop-In India’s Mortality Rate Despite COVID-19 Seems To Defy Global Trend.
UPDATED ON JAN 11 2021, 04:03 PM IST
Mumbai/Ahmedabad: Parts of India have recorded dramatic falls in mortality rates after a nationwide lockdown was imposed to fight the new coronavirus, suggesting there has not been an undetected surge in virus-related deaths. All over the world, mortality rates are being scrutinized to determine the true impact of the coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year and is known to have infected more than 27 lakh people globally, with nearly 1.9 lakh deaths. While death rates in some countries have risen sharply in recent weeks, in India the opposite seems to be happening, at least in some places, leaving hospitals, funeral parlors, and cremation sites wondering what is going on. “It’s very surprising for us,” said Shruthi Reddy, chief executive officer of Anthyesti Funeral Services, which operates in Kolkata and the southern tech hub of Bengaluru. The company handled about five jobs a day in January but has only had about three a day this month. “We’ve declared employee pay cuts if revenue falls below a threshold,” Reddy said. Other numbers tell a similar story. Central Mumbai, home to some 12 million people, saw deaths fall by about 21 percent in March compared with the same month of 2019, according to municipal data. Overall deaths plummeted 67 percent in Ahmedabad, the biggest city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, over the same period. Data from at least two other cities, along with accounts from state health officials, show a similar pattern. Half a dozen funeral businesses and crematoriums also reported slumps in business, especially in April. “If we’re not seeing an increase in deaths, the suspicion that there may be more COVID-19 fatalities out there is not true,” said Giridhar Babu, professor of epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India. Fewer Accidents Modi imposed a lockdown of India’s 13o core people on 25 March in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected some 23,077 people, killing 718 of them, according to the latest figures. India has tested about 5.25 lakh people, meaning some 4 percent were positive. In the United States, about 18 percent of tests are positive, according to the COVID-19 Tracking project. India’s apparently lower death rates stand in contrast to what has been seen elsewhere. The Netherlands recorded about 2,000 more deaths than normal in the first week of April, for example, while in Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta the number of funerals rose sharply in March. Some towns in Italy also saw a jump in recorded deaths. Indian doctors, officials, and crematorium employees suspect the lower death rate is in large part attributable to fewer road and rail accidents. “Road accident cases and even patients with alcohol or drug abuse, stroke and heart attacks have been coming in fewer numbers,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma, health minister for Assam. Accidents on India’s chaotic roads killed more than 1,51,400 people in 2018, according to official data, the world’s highest absolute number. The coronavirus lockdown, which is due to end on 3 May, will cut road deaths by at least 15 percent this year compared with 2018, Paresh Kumar Goel, a director at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said. With passenger trains halted, fatalities from all-too-common rail accidents have also plunged. In Mumbai alone, for example, more than half a dozen people typically die every day on the rail network. Fewer murders too? Neeraj Kumar, who is in charge of a crematorium on the banks of the holy Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh, said victims of crime were also not being brought in. “We used to get at least 10 accident-related bodies every day and many related to murder cases. But after the lockdown we’re only receiving natural death cases,” Kumar said. The site used to perform up to 30 cremations a day but in the month since 22 March, only 43 people had been cremated, Kumar said after leafing through the crematorium’s record book. But the lower rates might also reflect difficulties in reporting deaths during the lockdown, officials said. “There could be an increase when the lockdown ends,” said Dr Bhavin Joshi, a senior health department official with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Requests for India-wide data from the national registrar went unanswered, while an official at the New Delhi Municipal Council said they could not provide numbers. Reuters was also unable to obtain data for West Bengal, where some doctors have accused the government of understating coronavirus deaths. Only a state-appointed committee is allowed to declare that a patient has died from the virus.
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Dead Body Repatriation From Uk To Goa By Anthyesti Funeral Services
UPDATED ON JAN 11 2021, 04:03 PM IST
Dead body repatriation. Glane Pareira, a resident of Goa, used to work for a shipping company Slaters International in the UK. In April 2020, he died on duty due to COVID. After two months, a Funeral undertaker from the UK, Slaters International, contacted us to transfer his mortal remains from Delhi to Goa. As the patient had died due to being COVID Positive, Airport Authorities rejected. Since it had been two months that Glane Periera had died, they reexamine and tested his Mortal Remains again, and certified it COVID negative. In the 1st week of July, we got a go-ahead from the UK and transferred his mortal remains from the UK to Delhi, India. After completing the Airport formalities and Customs clearance, we sent Glane’s Dead body to Goa and helped his family perform the last rites of their Son. It filled everyone with a sense of completion and peace. Slaters International, the funeral undertakers in the UK, are specializing exclusively in the repatriation of deceased persons from the UK to overseas, or from overseas back to the UK. The Managing Director of Slaters International Mr. Edward Cutler recently lauded the work that Anthyesti is doing. We are grateful and appreciate the recognition. Anthyesti: Committed to delivering the best services to our clients! Call: +919883318181 Visit: https://www.anthyesti.com/repatriation/
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