When a person dies, there is a series of tasks that family members have to do. The logistics are complicated, especially now with the circuit breaker measures in place. This is on top of the emotional pain that the family has to endure.

When my grandfather died recently, we received guidelines from the National Environment Agency, the town council and the police.

For the funeral wake, we had to regulate the number of visitors to fewer than 10 at any one time and to try to have only relatives around, with friends and colleagues kept to a minimum.

We took everyone's temperature daily and provided masks for anyone who needed them. We arranged tables and chairs to meet safe distancing rules and placed a bottle of sanitiser at every table.

We did not, however, mandate how long visitors could stay.

One night, while we were keeping vigil, some policemen came by. I believe they were doing their rounds to ensure that people were complying with the circuit breaker measures. They were polite and left shortly after.

The next day, some town council members came by and they applauded our efforts. They said we were doing more than what they had seen at most other wakes.

We felt we were only doing our part as citizens.

On the day of the funeral, only 10 family members were allowed into the crematorium and columbarium complex. The grandchildren gave priority to our parents, aunts and uncles. We were sad, but managed to witness the process via video calls.

Also thanks to technology, which I'm grateful for, friends, colleagues and distant relatives who could not attend the wake could send their regards via messaging platforms and give condolence money via electronic payment methods.

Jasmine Goh Sze Ying