Guidelines for COVID burials to be released next week

Colombo (News 1st); The necessary guidelines with respect to the burial of people who die of COVID-19 will be announced next week, said the Ministry of Health on Saturday (27).

Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena said the committee of experts will meet on Saturday (27) for a special discussion in this regard at the Ministry of Health. The guidelines will be released considering a number factors, he added. It will focus on areas where water sources are located, the distance to them, the depth of the burial site, the manner in which bodies should be transported and whether police protection should be provided during transportation. The Director General of Health Services stated that the identification of such locations will be expedited. Based on the requirement, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board as well as other necessary bodies will be consulted, he added. The Extraordinary Gazette with respect to the burial of COVID-19 victims was released on Thursday (25), signed by the Minister of Health. According to the Extraordinary Gazette the words “Cremation of Corpse” would be substituted with the words “Cremation or burial of the corpse”.