Father's remains that cannot be delivered Bereaved families who could not be present at the end of the new corona

A urn containing her father's remains has been sitting in her home for two years.
His father died at the age of 2 after contracting the new coronavirus. Due to infection control measures, I was not able to be present at the end.

Three years after the outbreak, experts say many bereaved families suffer from the "ambiguous loss" of losing loved ones without having enough opportunity to mourn their deaths.
In March, a ritual was held at a temple in Kyoto where these bereaved families gathered to offer prayers.

Society is trying to return to pre-corona disasters, such as leaving the wearing of masks to the discretion of individuals, but many bereaved families have mixed feelings.

(Osaka Broadcasting Station Reporter Sachiko Inoue Narukiyo Kota / Kyoto Broadcasting Station Reporter Chiharu Kinukawa)

Nursing and funerals are stuck in Corona

On March 3, at Nishi Honganji Temple in Kyoto City, a memorial service was held to mourn those who were infected with the new corona and died.

In addition to the bereaved families, more than 11 people, including medical professionals who treated patients and members of the general public, participated in the event and offered silent prayers.

Due to strict infection control measures, there are many bereaved families who have not been able to take care of their loved ones or have funerals.

I am a woman in her 60s from Hyogo Prefecture.

Two years ago in March, I lost my 2-year-old father to the new coronavirus.

Lost farewell time

His father became infected at a nursing home where he was staying.

When I found out that I was infected, I was able to talk, but immediately after moving to the hospital for treatment, my physical condition deteriorated sharply.

Although treatment continued, five days after being admitted to the hospital, his father died of pneumonia caused by coronavirus.

Due to infection control measures, the woman was not allowed to enter the hospital room.

I was finally able to see his face through the screen of the tablet device that the doctor had told me was dead.

The father was cremated the same day and was unable to pick up the bones or hold a funeral.

Woman
: "When my father's coffin came out of the hearse, I couldn't even get close to him, and the crematorium staff wearing protective suits stopped me, telling me not to come closer. In addition to the anger and frustration of not being able to do what I had to do, I felt sorry for my father."

In the woman's home, an urn containing her father's remains remains.

Two years later, he still can't come to terms with his father's death.

Woman
: "Humans die eventually, so my father happened to be the cause of the coronavirus.

Bereaved families suffering from "ambiguous loss"

Some experts point out that bereaved families who have lost family members due to the new coronavirus often suffer "ambiguous loss" that does not have enough opportunity to mourn the death.
I am Masayoko Kurokawa, Director of the Research Center for Social Isolation Recovery at Ryukoku University.

Mr. Kurokawa has been supporting the bereaved families of the new coronavirus for the past two years.

This time, in addition to planning a memorial service at Nishi Honganji Temple, we have called on the bereaved families to hold a "sharing meeting" once a month in Osaka.

What the bereaved families have in common is a feeling of regret that they were not able to fully mourn the death of someone close to them.

Dr. Kurokawa, Director
of the Research Center for Social Isolation Recovery at Ryukoku University, says, "The most important time and process for understanding the death of a loved one is missing, leading to an 'ambiguous loss,' which makes it difficult for the people left behind to move on."



A funeral where relatives talk about the deceased.

Due to the Corona disaster, I had lost time to say goodbye to my loved ones.

While bereaved families cannot accept the death of their loved ones, society is trying to restore daily life, such as leaving the wearing of masks to the discretion of individuals.

Kurokawa is concerned that the distance between the bereaved families and society will increase.

Director
Kurokawa: I think there is an aspect that people who died from the new coronavirus were not allowed to be looked after by national policy and could not mourn sufficiently. The dignity of death, which should have been protected in normal times, has not been protected. While the bereaved families are unable to move forward, society is rapidly returning to the pre-pandemic state. I am concerned that a gap has formed between the feelings of the bereaved families and society, and that this will deepen further in the future."

"Now is the time to make sure the bereaved families are not isolated."

A memorial service was held at Nishi Honganji Temple in Kyoto on March 3.

Exactly three years ago, on March 11, WHO = World Health Organization showed for the first time the recognition that the new coronavirus has become a global pandemic.

Three years have passed since then, and the number of people infected with the new coronavirus has exceeded 3,3 in Japan.

At the venue of the ceremony, there was a woman from Hyogo Prefecture who lost her father to Corona and could not hold a funeral.

In his prayer was the image of his father.

Woman
: "Having everyone pray together in such a big place made me feel that I am not alone.

We believe that it will lead to support for bereaved families.

Dr. Kurokawa, Director
of the Research Center for Social Isolation Recovery and Recovery, Ryukoku University: "Currently, society's attention has shifted to not wearing masks and the transition of the new coronavirus to Class 5, but the epidemic is not over. Now that society is moving toward normalcy, I think it is important to think and support the bereaved families so that they are not isolated."

Society as a whole cherishes farewell time

Through the interview, I also felt that the bereaved families of the new coronavirus have unique feelings, such as not being able to be present at the end of their loved ones, a sense of remorse that they may have infected themselves, and regret that they could not easily find a medical institution that would accept them and could not provide them with adequate treatment.

The funerals of people who have died from the new coronavirus are gradually changing, such as the national government announcing new guidelines in January this year, and people who have died after taking infection control measures can be touched.
However, it is still difficult for hospitals to take care of corona patients.

Bereaved families who have lost loved ones due to the corona disaster. Some bereaved families who have not fully come to terms with his death may feel that they have been left behind by a society that is rapidly regaining their daily lives.
Along with support for bereaved families, I would like to hope for a society where people can cherish the time to say goodbye to those close to them as they did before the coronavirus pandemic.