Update: State officials on Thursday officially banned funeral and memorial services, saying they are "non-essential services." Internments have been limited to "delivery only."



SEATTLE, WA — Dealing with death for a living is never simple. But since the Seattle area emerged as an epicenter in the U.S. coronavirus crisis, funeral homes here, and the families they serve, have had to reckon with a number of new realities. Some are harsh: funeral directors, handling the bodies of possible COVID-19 patients, are suiting up with layers of protective equipment. They are putting masks on the faces of the deceased, in case liquid droplets are expelled from the lungs while a body is being moved. They scrutinize death certificates where pneumonia is listed as the cause, and worry whether they will have enough space to hold the bodies that may accumulate if the outbreak worsens.

"You're not used to putting a body in a body bag and double bagging them, and then having to wipe down that bag with a high concentration of sterilizing spray to make sure the virus isn't still attached to the exterior," said Char Carpenter Barrett, owner and funeral director of A Sacred Moment funeral home in Everett. Then there are the softer challenges: families can barely gather in person to mourn a loved one, since groups of more than 10 people have been discouraged in King County. Viewings have been canceled. Fresh-baked cookies and coffee, which Barrett usually gives to grieving families, are not an option under the state's restaurant shutdown.

It's a hard time to work in the funeral industry, several funeral directors and embalmers told Patch. Business hasn't slowed during the outbreak, the directors agreed. But they've had to quickly go digital: families have opted to videotape funerals, livestream graveside services and sign online guestbooks.

That shift is an uneasy one for many families, especially those with a culture of group mourning. Roger Leger, general manager at Columbia Funeral Home in Columbia City, works with Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian communities, and said he's had a hard time convincing families they must grieve remotely.

"Our communities that we deal with are just so set on coming here to do the respects," he said. "It's been a challenge."

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Washington. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily. Meanwhile, regional shortages of protective masks and gloves have hit the funeral industry, causing some embalmers to worry whether they will be able to stay safe.