Damion Mitchell, Integration Editor

Jamaica’s health authority has indicated that it will be ramping up the surveillance of informal funeral homes to ensure that they adhere to the guidelines for the handling of bodies of deceased COVID patients.

The Health Ministry has developed infection control guidelines for funeral homes and has been in consultation with registered ones.

However, those operating outside the formal regime have not been a part of the consultation.

Chief medical officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie says it would be a "major concern" if funeral homes flout the guidelines.

Speaking during a digital press conference on Thursday, Bisasor McKenzie acknowledged that so far, consultations with funeral homes have not included informal ones but said the guidelines have been widely circulated.

"These are measures that are in keeping with normal infection prevention control measures that we are insisting on in the treatment of bodies," she said.

The CMO said she will indicate to local health teams that where there is knowledge of informal funeral homes, they should try to visit them to ensure that the control measures are adhered to.

The protocol deals with how bodies are to be treated at each stage from death to disposal.

Bisasor McKenzie said disposal of bodies of COVID-19 patients may be done by cremation or burial and there is no time frame within which it may be done.