Coronavirus placing funeral homes in ‘uncharted territory’

STARKVILLE/LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The coronavirus has marked uncharted territory for funeral homes.

Funeral homes are now having to make the tough decision on downsizing the number of people allowed inside.

“We are limiting to 50 at this time,” said Vernon West, funeral director of West Memorial Funeral Home. “You know the CDC said 50, I believe the number has been between 50 to 10, but we are going to be limiting to 50.

West said limiting loved ones inside the funeral home is really hard for him because people are already in pain.

He is hoping the state of Mississippi can step in and address this issue.

“We are really trying to get direction from the state in regards to how can we handle this issue. We have families coming from all over the United States to this facility, and to our churches,” said West.

Caleb Pounders, with Lowndes Funeral home, said some families have been very understanding.

“They realize that now people will travel so much,” said Pounders. “Other people are going to come from other states are going to come in to visit with them and that’s how things get transmitted.”

Pounders said the main concern is making sure everyone remains safe when visiting the funeral home.

“In the funeral business you always want to be able to provide the person or the general public to friends to be able to come and say goodbye and offer their condolences but at the same time you know you have to look at the general public in there and how they can be infected and try to cut down on that.”

Funeral homes are also streaming services online to anyone outside the immediate family.