Funerals during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Masks no longer mandatory at funeral venues

As from 6pm, Friday 4th March attendees at funeral services will no longer need to wear masks throughout Queensland.

For those who feel safer wearing a mask, you are most welcome to do so in all Gregson & Weight venues or graveside funerals.

The requirement to check-in using a QR Code has also been lifted, except in venues where food is served.

Density numbers at funeral venues have now been removed, so feel free to talk with our staff if you have questions on how many can attend.

For those unable to attend, funeral services will continue to be streamed on the internet, so that you can also view them from the comfort and safety of your own home.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to talk with our staff who are at your service 24/7.

Funeral Support & Social Distancing

With the increase of the Coronavirus pandemic, social distancing is having an impact on how funerals are conducted and the participation of mourners.

The Australian Government has increased social distancing rules. This may mean that more people may be unable to attend a funeral or that more people may choose to hold a private funeral and or cremation.

When you can’t attend a funeral at one of our Gregson & Weight chapels, you can still show your support to grieving family and friends in the following ways:

• Check with the family of the deceased to see if they’re doing a live stream of the funeral service. This way, you can still virtually attend the funeral or watch it at a later time.
• If the funeral is delayed or reduced to a very short service, you could set some time aside to have your own personal memorial at home. Take some time looking at photographs of the deceased, light a candle, write a message to them or follow any of your own cultural or spiritual rituals. If you are not in isolation you may be able to visit somewhere meaningful to you or the deceased, keeping in mind social distancing rules.
• Sending flowers is a simple, yet meaningful gesture. You can send them to the funeral home or the home of the bereaved and include a note to express your condolences and sadness for not being able to attend.
• Send a sympathy card with a heartfelt message. You may choose to share a favourite memory of the deceased. A short, simple note can provide comfort and let’s those who are grieving know that you’re thinking of them.
• Ask if there is an online guest book, for friends and family members to sign and offer their condolences. Family members often find comfort in reading these messages and having them available online makes it easy to look back on them at a later time. Ask if the deceased has an active social media page where you could write a message.
• Making a donation in the name of the deceased not only pays tribute to them but also creates a positive impact on the lives of others.
• Consider writing or recording a message to be read out or played at the funeral. Contact the funeral director for information.
• After the funeral check in with people, either by telephone, social media or a video call using the Internet such as FaceTime or Skype. You could ask someone to call you afterwards to let you know how it went.
• This is a good opportunity for you to talk about the deceased and share your memories.

During the current coronavirus restrictions, the circumstances of the bereavement may have been particularly distressing or traumatic.

The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has created the very handy MyGrief App that can be downloaded from the App Store or Google. This will offer you immediate information about how to receive bereavement support or how to support someone who is grieving.