Originally published on December 14, 2020 8:09 pm
As the U.S. marks 300,000 dead, it's impossible to capture the grief families around the country are experiencing.
Each person who dies of COVID-19 has a story. But many of those left behind no longer have access to the traditional ways of remembering the dead. Funerals are often happening over Zoom or as stripped-down, socially distant affairs.
Hugs aren't safe anymore.
The lack of coming together to grieve will have long-term consequences even after the pandemic subsides, says Christy Denckla. She is a research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a clinical psychologist specializing in grief.