Sars cov-2 in the corpse: ethical, social and health implications

Due to restrictions on visits from family members, numerous deaths from COVID-19 occur in solitude and in contexts where there is a lack of attention to the complexity of the symptoms and the social, psychological and existential problems that appear when an individual is nearing the end of life. On the other hand, isolation precautions must be taken to stop the spread of the virus. Here we address this double aspect of the pandemic from ethical, social and healthcare points of view, providing useful information for professionals and for the families of victims. We also discuss the risks and problems involved in handling infected dead bodies, which raises questions about the dignity of the corpse undergoing postmortem screening.