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FUNERAL HOMES will meet very soon to discuss changes in protocols for covid19 burials, as well as formulating a list of funeral agencies that will be able to store the bodies of those who have died of covid19.
At the beginning of the pandemic it was mandated that all covid19 patients' bodies should be cremated, but that policy changed.
But now, with the increase in cases and deaths, funeral homes are considering reverting strictly to cremation.
Sunday Newsday spoke with president of the Association of Funeral Professionals of TT Keith Belgrove, who said his association will meet to discuss the changes.
"We will be reviewing the list and the criteria to be on the list. One of the main criteria will be being a member of the association."
Belgrove said his association is working with a committee appointed by the Ministry of Health to address the proper way to dispose of the bodies given the change from cremation only to include burial. He said burials have always been allowed to take place in Tobago because it lacks a cremation site.
Muslims in Trinidad are also given an exemption but are being buried only at one cemetery, in east Trinidad.
He added that at the beginning of the pandemic, his association, in collaboration with the Health Ministry, compiled a list of funeral homes to handle covid19 deaths, including storing the bodies. This initial list, he said, was now reduced to a few, with one funeral home predominantly storing the bodies.
Sunday Newsday was told that Belgrove’s, Simpson’s, Dass, Armstrong’s, Clark and Battoo, Boodoo’s, Shyam’s and Allen's Funeral Home, were listed as the authorised agencies to store and dispose of covid19 patients' bodies.
Belgrove, who did not identify the initial list, said some of those on it deviated from the cremation-only rule and the list was changed and eventually morphed into the shorter one above.
Relatives of those who have died from complications associated with covid19 can choose any funeral agency they want, but only selected funeral agencies can remove the bodies from where they died.
Another funeral director, who did not want himself or his company identified, said the list shrank because of a failure to pay other agencies.
He corroborated Belgrove’s claim, saying “the main man right now” has a funeral parlour in East Trinidad and is the only agency being called to collect covid19 bodies. Families are not obligated, however, to use his service for burials and cremation.
The list, the funeral director said, is the second after other agencies began removing covid19 patients' bodies. The increase in funeral agencies vying for the bodies created accounting problems within the various regional health authorities, he said, as there was no contractual agreement with any of the agencies.
To fix this, the association is hoping to prepare a list of acceptable agencies to remove and store the bodies.
The Health Ministry's most recent guidelines said all funeral homes that deal with covid19 must have the required PPE (personal protective equipmen
A November 26 letter from the presidency asked the head of Uganda's national drug authority to 'work out a mechanism' to clear the importation of the vaccines.
China has about five COVID-19 vaccine candidates at different levels of trials. It was not clear what vaccine was being imported into Uganda.
One of the frontrunners is the Sinopharm vaccine developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Product, a unit of Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group (CNBG).
On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates said the vaccine has 86% efficacy, citing an interim analysis of late-stage clinical trials.
China has used the drug to vaccinate up to a million people under its emergency use program.
On Tuesday, Morocco said it was ordering up to 10 million doses of the vaccine.
Record cases
Uganda on Monday registered 701 new COVID-19 cases, the highest-ever daily increase, bringing its national count to 23,200.
The new cases were out of the 5,578 samples tested for the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said in a statement.
Tuesday's tally was 606, the second-highest ever number of new infections, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the east African country to 23,860.
Health authorities have blamed ongoing election campaigns which have drawn huge crowds for the rise in infections.
HOUSTON — In 1953, Ebony magazine reported there were 3,000 black-owned funeral parlors across the country, and last year, that number had decreased to about 1,200, with nearly a dozen remaining across the Houston area.
In an effort to keep everyone safe, funeral directors have had to implement strict new procedures for services and burials.
“This thing is truly serious,” said Houston funeral director Otis Wiley, of O.W. Wiley Mortuary in Acreage Home.
“When we walked into a hospital to collect our first body and saw so many patients on the ventilators, when we got back to the funeral home, it was an emotional time,” he said.
I really think we were one of the first African American funeral homes to deal with the COVID virus because out of the first three cases that came from Houston, one of those cases came to us.
A BREAST cancer survivor is often referred to as someone who previously had cancer, but no longer shows signs of the disease. GUEST COLUMN:Mackintosh Chigumira However, it can as well refer to an individual living with, through and beyond cancer. This means cancer survivorship begins from a point one is diagnosed with cancer. Breast cancer has been so much associated with pain, psychological trauma and in worst cases scenarios, death. However the big question still remains, can one can survive the severity of this most dreaded disease? In exploring these possibilities, there are quite a number of factors which are intertwined to define the fate of the victim. Having a clear understanding of this disease on how it begins, how it grows attacking other surrounding body organs and also when exactly it can completely get out of control becomes key. This means that there is nothing odd that can happen on an individual’s body which can be ignored as it can define one’s fate. The following key elements are important in the cancer fight: Cancer awareness There are symptoms which have been noted to be common among individuals during the onset of cancer from clinical studies and observations. This formulates the basis of what information one must have about cancer and it becomes the push factor to quickly seek medical attention for further clarification and diagnosis. Knowledge is power and that is the reason why advocacy on “Cancer literate Zimbabweans” is on the rise. When cancer is diagnosed at its early stages it becomes easy to manage or even eradicate and this will determine one’s survival. Many regional and local organisations, and trusts, including Talk Cancer Zim, are tirelessly pushing the agenda to save the nation through imparting the necessary information to the general populace. It is very crucial that this agenda be driven especially at this point and time where focus has been shifted towards the COVID-19 pandemic. The public must as well be watchful and alert not only for the symptoms of the COVID-19, but also of this complex disease. Early treatment The secret behind one’s survival after cancer diagnosis is seeking the treatment earlier. Though some cancers can be so complex even at their early stages, at least they will be easier to manage. The common treatment modalities in cancer management in Zimbabwe are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. All of these modalities can be used to complement one another for an effective treatment outcome. Each step of treatment can be so traumatising since these treatments can be so radical and burdensome to an already stressed cancer patient. Apart from the stress of being diagnosed with cancer, failure to get treatment in time for a number of reasons can destroy a patient’s spirit and reduce their chances of survival. For example, many people in the country cannot afford the high fees required for surgery and the disease progresses or forces individuals to try alternative medicine. Though radiotherapy can be affordable at government-run radiotherapy centres, 80% of pati
The Government has extended the islandwide curfew and all other previously announced measures under the Disaster Risk Management Act until Sunday, January 31.\tThe curfew was set to expire tomorrow.\tBut, the Government says an extension is needed...
Three Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries have registered deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours, while others that have not registered cases in recent months, are now doing so.
The Ministry of Health says that as of today one more person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has died.
The article Region Four man, 54, latest COVID fatality appeared first on Stabroek News.
Jamaicans are urged not to create an environment in which youth are stigmatised because they have been identified as the age group with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. Founder of the Balaclavia Youth Club, Jordan Dressikie, expressed his...
Forty-six more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 according to the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) dashboard for yesterday.
The article Forty-six new COVID cases reported appeared first on Stabroek News.
On day two of the funeral parlour strike, unions have continued to stop undertakers from collecting bodies, and say that government is taking notice.
The Ministry of Education is reporting that 16 of the 17 schools selected to participate in the pilot of face-to-face teaching began classes today.\tIt says Yallahs High School has asked to begin tomorrow because of flooding on the compound.\tThe...
The Court Administration Division is reporting that the Hanover Family Court will be closed today due to cases of COVID-19.\tIt says the closure is to allow the court time to effect changes to its operation as a result of positive COVID-19 tests....
BY FORTUNE MBELE The funeral of former Warriors and Highlanders midfielder Richard Choruma is set to be a low-key event, with only a few close family members and probably a handful of friends allowed due to COVID-19 regulations. Choruma will be buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo on Saturday. He died in South Africa last week and plans are that his body will be flown to Bulawayo on Friday and be buried the next day. The funeral wake and burial were expected to attract several people as a funeral procession to Barbourfields Stadium and a memorial service at MacDonald Hall had been planned. However, clarifying the new lockdown rules to be reviewed on January 31, Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said: “Gatherings are reduced to not more than 30 people at all funerals. All other gatherings at weddings, churches, bars, bottlestores, gymnasiums, restaurants, et cetera, are banned for 30 days.” It means that Choruma will not receive the grand send off that Highlanders usually gives to its sons. Meanwhile, Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele, who was Highlanders secretary-general when Choruma joined the Bulawayo giants at the turn of the century, has paid tribute to the late midfield star. “I have learnt with shock and sadness of the untimely passing of Richard Choruma, an intelligent, disciplined and very talented footballer. I will always cherish the memories I shared with him from 2000 until his untimely passing. Choruma showed great leadership qualities, both off and on the field. He was a role model for young players and will be greatly missed. Goodbye Richo,” Ndebele said. Choruma, who died aged 42, was part of the three-time championship-winning Highlanders side in 2000, 2001 and 2003 when Ndebele was club secretary-general. He also played in the Caf Champions League back then, scoring three goals for Highlanders in inter-club continental competitions. At the time of his death, Choruma had ventured into the football equipment business and had a keen interest in junior football development.
The Andrew Holness led administration extended the islandwide curfew and all other previously announced measures under the Disaster Risk Management Act until Sunday, January 31.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday disclosed that 41 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, bringing the total number of known cases in Guyana to 6,510.
The article 41 new COVID-19 cases recorded appeared first on Stabroek News.
Jamaicans are being cautioned against bypassing medical assessment and going directly to private laboratories for COVID-19 tests.Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie made the call yesterday for the public to adhere to the protocols for testing, as it is part of the management of cases, and allows the Government to get a clear picture of the country's COVID-19 status.
Member of Parliament Dr Karen Cummings yesterday criticized the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s decision to place asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in home isolation while contending that many persons cannot be safely isolated owing to the large size of households.
The article Impossible for COVID-19 patients from large homes to isolate safely appeared first on Stabroek News.
The Ministry of Health says that as of 6 pm today, one other person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has died.
The article Three Region Four men die of COVID-19, death toll at 85 appeared first on Stabroek News.
Effective immediately, Jamaica has banned all flights from the United Kingdom for a period of two weeks, ending January 4, 2021.
\tHowever, flights arriving over the next 24 hours and outbound flights to the UK will be allowed up to midnight Tuesday, December 22.
[Monitor] Ugandan companies involved in the sourcing of external employment for migrant workers abroad are to resume business after government Monday announced that it had relaxed the Coronavirus restrictions.
The Ministry of Health last evening confirmed 31 new COVID-19 cases from its latest batch of test results.
The article 31 new COVID-19 cases recorded appeared first on Stabroek News.
Seventy- nine new COVID-19 cases were yesterday recorded and the majority were reported in Region Four.
The article Seventy-nine new COVID cases recorded appeared first on Stabroek News.
