Nellore: IRCS to create awareness on handling Covid bodies

Nellore: A team of volunteers from the Indian Red Cross Society will conduct awareness on funerals among the family members of Covid deceased, where people are not coming forward to carry bodies and take up funerals for those bodies of covid infected in case the family members refuse to take them.

In fact, the family members have to know how to handle the bodies infected with the coronavirus as the officials are busy with other activities like accommodation and treatment. Many family members are refusing to take the body due to fear of spread of virus. And there have been many instances carrying out funerals even by the medical teams.

The IRCS formed a four-member team for motivating the family members of deceased persons on how to handle the body and perform the funerals. The team will convince that nothing would happen to family members as the body is being medically sealed perfectly.

"The volunteers approach the family members and convince them to take up funerals strictly following the Covid guidelines. They explain that there would be no problem as the doctors are clinically wrapping the body that prevents leakage or double bagging if it requires. If the family members refuse to take the body, the IRCS volunteers will conduct the funerals on their behalf for developing confidence among people," said C Chandrasekhar Reddy, Chairman of IRCS Nellore branch.

He said they were suggesting the volunteers to wear PPE at the time of contacting the bodies and their family members.

IRCS Chairman Chandrasekhar Reddy added that they were finalising the plan for starting the activities within a week. They are also considering the standard protocols to be maintained during the process and were checking awareness levels of the volunteers to handle the situation carefully, he said.