The coronavirus pandemic is having an obvious impact on health around the world, but the circumstances surrounding the death of loved ones is a unique one for many.  Isolation protocols mean that for many, they are forbidden from seeing their loved ones in their final moments, much less say goodbye face to face.

New research from Penn State highlights the challenges this presents for the physical and mental health of those left behind.  The authors estimate that there could be around 820,000 grandchildren alone who might be going through some form of bereavement in the United States in the wake of the crisis.

“For every death that’s projected, we have to remember that this death will not solely be experienced by the individual who is lost, but all the people who will feel it,” the researchers say.  “In this case, it means all the people who will feel grief because they lost parents and grandparents, and other relatives, to the disease.”

Unique challenges

The loss of a loved one to the coronavirus presents a number of challenges, not least of which is the very sudden nature of the virus.  There are also concerns that grievers may not be permitted to properly memorialize victims, as funerals inevitably reduce the kind of social distancing that most governments are mandating at the moment.  It presents the very real prospect of loved ones saying goodbye via video link, and being denied the opportunity to have a memorial service.

The authors hope that by raising the awareness of these challenges, individuals and organizations can be better prepared for what might arise.

“One suggestion I would make is for employers to be ready to examine their bereavement leave policies,” they explain. “Employers should also be aware that there will be many workplaces where employees are going to be grieving the loss of a spouse or a close relative.”

Hidden consequences

The researchers also highlight the potential for hidden consequences of the outbreak.  Often, people are given considerable care and social support when a loved one dies.  This might include financial and social support from family members, for instance.

“Losing a grandmother that helps with childcare, for example, is really consequential for some families,” the authors explain. “There are many different financial and social types of exchanges that can seriously affect people, as well.”

These and other post-COVID-19 impacts are going to be the topic of future analysis by the researchers.  For instance, they want to explore whether certain racial groups and/or socioeconomic classes may be especially vulnerable.

“Preliminary figures suggest there’s a real racial stratification of percentages of deaths, for example, the Black community may be particularly hard hit by the disease,” they explain. “This may suggest that there will be an undue burden especially on groups that rely on family members at a higher rate for things like childcare. In many of these groups, it’s families that help make ends meet.”

The pandemic has forced society to rethink so much of what has previously been taken for granted, and the grieving process is likely to be no different.  There’s a strong sense that, as with so much, we will be learning as we go, but hopefully being aware of some of the challenges ahead of time might help us navigate these uncertain times more smoothly.