Although there have been an abundance of closures due to the outbreak of COVID-19, many funeral homes have remained open, operating as usual. However, certain safety precautions have been applied while funerals are taking place.

At Millspaugh Funeral Directors in Wallkill, Walden and Montgomery, funerals have been limited to immediate family per Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order. Those in attendance must maintain a six foot distance between one another. Millspaugh live streams each funeral, so extended families and friends can watch the service.

“Fortunately for us our Walden facility is bigger so it allows us a higher capacity while still complying with the new orders in effect,” said Laura Tighe, funeral director at Millspaugh.

Updated guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on March 16 suggests no gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks.

Due to the restrictions placed on the number of guests who can attend a funeral, some families have opted to cremate or bury their loved ones and hold the funeral at a later date.

Tighe noted that Millspaugh is regularly receiving information via the New York State Funeral Directors Association (NYSFDA) and the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), from the CDC as well as the United States Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies about the evolution of COVID-19 in the United States.

Their staff remains vigilant about cleaning the facilities and ensuring that everyone is following recommended healthy habits, such as staying at home when sick, washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes.

“We will continue to guide families, as we always have, in ways they can meaningfully and safely commemorate the life of their loved one, while adhering to the guidance issued by federal, state and local public health officials,” states Millspaugh’s website. “The health and safety of the families we serve, our employees and the community is of utmost importance.”

In light of the rising rate of positive COVID-19 cases and increasing deaths in New York State within the past week, Millspaugh has decided to put some additional restrictions in place on their services. Until further notice, their services will be limited to direct burial and direct cremation with the option of a virtual visitation. Graveside services, with immediate family present, will be allowed in accordance with a cemetery’s COVID-19 policy. If desired by the family, Millspaugh will provide video recording of graveside services for those not able to attend.

Much like Millspaugh, some families are opting to postpone their funeral services to a later date when extended family members and friends are allowed. Others have chosen to hold a funeral now with immediate family and a memorial service later on once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

“Some of them have been handling it very well but others, depending on the circumstances, it’s hard,” said Jason Trafton, Vice President and part owner of Gridley-Horan Funeral Home Inc. “There’s a lot of services that they can’t have right now and it’s hard for us because we’d like to do whatever we can for them.”
Gridley-Horan has also live-streamed their funeral services for extended family and friends.

With the current COVID-19 outbreak, the funeral home continues to maintain cleanliness. Visitors to the funeral home are requested to limit physical contact such as hugging, handshaking or contact with the face.
“We continue to serve families in the same caring and personal way as we always have done,” the Gridley-Horan website states. “We continue to monitor and adhere to guidelines set forth by the CDC, NFDA, NYSFDA and our local and federal governments.”