- Funeral directors in the Haut-Rhin are overwhelmed by the deaths.
- The number of treatments has doubled or tripled in this department.
- The sanitary rules linked to Covid-19 have changed their way of working.
- Despite the risks, companies are struggling to provide protections.
After 35 years of profession in funeral directors, Christophe Lantz "thought he was well hardened". But "too much is too much," blows this manager of a company in Mulhouse, in the Haut-Rhin, overwhelmed by the care of the coronavirus dead.
"We run from morning to night, we work at a breakneck pace," explains Christophe Lantz by phone, also president of the Haut-Rhin funeral trade corporation, while behind his fixed line keeps ringing.
An activity doubled or even tripled depending on the company
His funeral home business, which employs 50 people, took care of his first deceased Covid-19 on March 13. Two weeks later, they had taken care of 178 deaths, against 60 approximately "in normal times". The number of deceased cared for also more than tripled at the Kittler funeral home in Lutterbach. He was “multiplied by two” at the Schaub funeral home in Wittelsheim, northwest of Mulhouse.
The Haut-Rhin is one of the main centers of the epidemic after a large evangelical gathering, whose participants then involuntarily spread the disease. This department has the sad record of 411 coronavirus-related deaths in March, according to data from the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Grand Est. Undertakers, but also marble workers, gravediggers, city hall employees issuing death certificates, crematorium employees, coffins manufacturers ... The entire chain of care for the deceased faces unprecedented activity.
Mourning work that will be complicated for families
"A crisis like that, we have never known it," breathes Véronique Kittler, funeral advisor for 20 years. Funeral directors must remove the bodies of those who have died from the coronavirus as soon as possible. "From the moment we took charge of the body, we close the coffin at the place of death and this coffin will no longer be open at all," explains Véronique Kittler.
So no mortuary toilet, no body conservation care, no presentation in a funeral home. And at least burial ceremonies directly at the cemetery. “Before, we received the families, we discussed with them and we intervened afterwards. Now we tell them to choose a coffin right away, we put in the beer and then we start to chat, by telephone for the most part ", only one person being received at the office, explains Christophe Lantz.
Many had not seen the deceased since their hospitalization or confinement in a retirement home, nor will they have the opportunity to say goodbye after their death. If most families "understand the situation", their grief "will really be complicated", considers Christophe Lantz.
Cremations are closed to families
Fourth generation of his family to take care of the Schaub funeral directors, Wendy Fluhr underlines "the despair of people because they have no last farewell, they can no longer touch the coffin, can no longer pay tributes they would have liked ”. As the crematoriums are now closed to families, it offers a small ceremony at the cemetery, even in the event of cremation, "so that they have a goodbye anyway". "This will help them for later, rather than ending up in three or four months with the ballot box," she thinks.
Véronique Kittler, she offers to “take a picture of the closed coffin with the identity plate since, for some families, it is the only image they will have. She also communicates the scheduled time for the cremation so that families can meditate at home at that time.
Calving aprons for protection
Like all professionals in contact with patients of the Covid-19, funeral directors struggle to obtain protective equipment. They have the feeling of being “completely forgotten” by the authorities, who only provided them with surgical masks, despite the risk of contamination when moving the bodies.
"Everyone must try to fend for themselves," notes Véronique Kittler, to whom veterinary friends have provided protective gowns. They are now considering giving him disposable calving aprons. Wendy Fluhr was able to count on donations of gloves and coveralls from companies. “Those who brew and intervene on site are worried on a daily basis. If I tell them tomorrow that there are no more masks, clearly they will no longer come to work, ”fears Christophe Lantz.
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- Covid 19
- Strasbourg
- Coronavirus
- Undertaker