Management of mass casualties due to COVID-19: handling the dead.

ABSTRACT

A high number of fatalities can occur during major disasters or during events like the COVID-19 pandemic. In a natural disaster, the dead must be removed from disaster sites while rescue work is in progress; otherwise, the health and safety of the community are threatened. The COVID-19 pandemic is analogous to a natural disaster with mass casualties where the disaster sites are hospitals with morgues that are overwhelmed. As the number of the deceased rise rapidly and hospital morgues are at their full capacity, hospitals use what is called a Body Collection Point (BCP). BCP is defined as a temporary refrigeration unit used to store decedents until transport is arranged. Decedents should always be handled in a manner denoting respect, and provisions and management of resources should be properly mobilized to ensure this. Contingency plans must be created to prepare for worsening of the disaster that further overwhelms the capacity of the health care systems.