3 minute read
Editorial
The light at the end of a very long tunnel…
Welcome to the Summer edition of the Journal!
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It was 19 March 2020 when the prime minister told the country "we can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks, and I am absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing in this country".
Four days later he locked us all down and those 12 weeks stretched into a year, on and off.
At that time, we were heading into the unknown. We saw the country come to a standstill, literally, as we had restrictions put on us and our liberties curtailed. Until then, our freedom was something we all took for granted.
For me it was the absence of human contact that I missed the most, not being able to see friends or family, stand shoulder to shoulder with your neighbour but instead watch as people actively crossed the street to avoid you. The inability to hug someone or offer comfort to those that desperately need it, has possibly been the hardest thing to deal with for us all, especially working within the funeral sector. At times this has felt like I have been in a dream from which I feared I may never wake.
However, despite these challenging times, you as bereavement professionals, have done a fantastic job to ensure that bereaved people can say goodbye to their loved ones. You have been remarkable in your resilience to “keep calm and carry on” even when dealing with your own anxieties and fears. For this I have the utmost respect for you all, well done and thank you.
With the easing of restrictions, we are starting to see life return, albeit incrementally, to something that closely resembles pre-pandemic “normality”. We should, however, proceed with caution. The University of Warwick and Imperial College London report that there is a significant risk of a third wave of the virus over the summer, once these restrictions are lifted, despite the successful roll out of the vaccines. Nothing is certain of course, and there are many factors that will influence this, but we should all be prepared.
There have been some worthwhile changes that the pandemic has forced upon us, the most common being the use of technology. Very quickly we introduced and upgraded our use of streaming funerals online. Suddenly 200 people from anywhere in the world could be present, watching and supporting families, albeit remotely. The increased use of virtual platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams helped us to stay connected and for many of us have proved we can work from home successfully. One of the best changes, in my opinion, has been the introduction of electronic transmission of paperwork relating to death certification and registration. Let’s hope that the government make the relevant changes to legislation to enable these to stay once the Coronavirus Act is rescinded.
Whilst we have been locked away, the natural world has continued on and even benefited from our absence. For the first time perhaps, we have seen a glimpse of what the planet could look like – or should like. The air got cleaner; wildlife was liberated - from a herd of goats taking over a Welsh seaside town to deer in a Japanese city roaming the roads in search of food. We could actually hear the birds singing instead of the constant rumble of car engines. It has shown us that it is time for change.
The world has witnessed an extraordinary amount of death. People are left with an overwhelming sense of grief and loss, and a feeling of being cheated out of time spent with those that have died prematurely. I hope that at the very least it has got us talking about death more. I sincerely hope it has taken away the stigma that asking for help is a sign of weakness – it’s not. In fact it has highlighted the issues of mental health and shown us that no one is immune.
Without doubt we have learned a lot from this pandemic – good and bad. It has awakened us to the indispensable essentials of our lives, such as food, shelter, safety, and companionship. It might even make us grateful for them and help us focus on what is important.
One thing is for sure, as we come out of this very long tunnel, we will be living with COVID in some form, and its huge economic, educational, and societal consequences for years to come.
