Death in the ICU from COVID-19: more research on its effects on families needed

Understanding of Stigmatization and Death Amid COVID-19 in India: A Sociological Exploration

“…All these situations lead to tremendous anxiety and stress among the deceased families. Molokhia and Waqas (2020) argues that the death of family members is identified as a risk factor that can lead to any post-traumatic stress disorders in family members such as anxiety, panic disorder and depression (Molokhia & Waqas 2020,p1 ). Though immediate and strict measures are required to control the pandemic, still authorities should take the bereaved families into considerations.…”

From Ritual Mourning to Solitary Grief: Reinterpretation of Hindu Death Rituals in India

“…Across the world, death of close relatives in the time of the coronavirus has been stripped of the comfort of the community leading to waves of loss, grief, anxiety, panic disorder, depression and fear among people (Kumari, 2021; Lakhani & Agarwala, 2020; Maddrell, 2020; Molokhia & Waqas, 2020). Turner and Caswell (2019) have argued that lone deaths are regarded as ‘bad deaths’ even in the United Kingdom as they contravene notions of accompaniment and open awareness.…”

Mental health, moral injury – and mandatory psychological assessment?

“…]; inflexible infection control protocols have impacted end-of-life care[27]; excessive need for critical care facilities raises questions of resource rationing[28]; physical harm and excess mortality have resulted from the disruption of normal service provision;…”

“…Abrogation of normative expectations concerning knowledge and resource provision, together with limited accountability, has undermined patient management, and harmed patients, healthcare workers and society. For example, inadequate procurement of appropriate personal protective equipment has placed healthcare workers (particularly Black and minority ethnic colleagues [23]) at risk of occupational infection [26]; inflexible infection control protocols have impacted end‐of‐life care [27]; excessive need for critical care facilities raises questions of resource rationing [28]; physical harm and excess mortality have resulted from the disruption of normal service provision; second dose vaccine deferral risks avoidable psychological and physical harm for patients and medical staff; and considerable increases in personal protective equipment waste generation and incineration have had environmental impacts [29, 30]. The rapid clinical deterioration experienced by some patients with COVID‐19, together with the relative paucity of effective critical care treatments, has added further elements of moral helplessness to patient care that run contrary to what might be expected normally.…”