• Your local and/or state public health officials may be making recommendations for the care of decedents and/or public gatherings that are more stringent than what the CDC and federal government have recommended. In these cases, you should defer to your state and/or local public health officials.
• The CDC has advised if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you are concerned about a potential exposure, this risk assessment for healthcare personnel (HCP) from the CDC may be useful.

The CDC guidance for funeral directors states:

When a U.S. citizen dies outside the United States, the deceased person’s next of kin or legal representative should notify U.S. consular officials at the Department of State. Consular personnel are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide assistance to U.S. citizens for overseas emergencies. If a family member, domestic partner, or legal representative is in a different country from the deceased person, he or she should call the Department of State’s Office of Overseas Citizens Services in Washington, D.C., from 8 am to 5 pm Eastern time, Monday through Friday, at 888-407-4747 (toll-free) or 202-501-4444. For emergency assistance after working hours or on weekends and holidays, call the Department of State switchboard at 202-647-4000 and ask to speak with the Overseas Citizens Services duty officer. In addition, the U.S. Embassy closest to or in the country where the U.S. citizen died can provide assistance.

CDC does not require an autopsy before the remains of a person who died overseas are returned to the United States. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the death, some countries may require an autopsy. Sources of support to the family include the local consulate or embassy, travel insurance provider, tour operator, faith-based and aid organizations, and the deceased’s employer. There likely will need to be an official identification of the body and official documents issued by the consular office.

CDC requirements for importing human remains depend upon if the body has been embalmed, cremated, or if the person died from a quarantinable communicable disease.

At this time, COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States and the remains must meet the standards for importation found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71.55 and may be cleared, released, and authorized for entry into the United States only under the following conditions:

• The remains are cremated; OR
• The remains are properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed casket; OR
• The remains are accompanied by a permit issued by the CDC Director. The CDC permit (if applicable) must accompany the human remains at all times during shipment.
  • Permits for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease may be obtained through the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 or emailing dgmqpolicyoffice@cdc.gov.

Please see CDC’s guidance for additional information.

Funeral directors should consult with the U.S. embassy of the country that will be receiving the remains for any country-specific shipping requirements and documentation. NFDA also advises consulting with the airline that will be carrying the body to determine if it has any specific requirements. You can find embassy and airline contact information on the NFDA website.

The ability to ship human remains via air during the COVID-19 pandemic can be problematic.  Many airlines have greatly reduced flight options, while others have stopped shipping human remains cargo completely.  It is important to note that each airline is making its own decision and those decisions are changing frequently.  For the latest information,  NFDA recommends checking with your human remains shipping provider for daily updates.

Please be aware of the following conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Airline flights have been reduced up to 85%
• Airlines are closing some cargo stations, reducing their hours at others
• Airline call center staff has been significantly reduced, causing high-hold times and no weekend staff for some airlines
• Options for origins and destinations have been restricted
• It is harder to book same day flights, due to high-hold times with the airlines
• International flights are dramatically reduced and non-existent to most destinations, including interline flights

List of Airlines and Contact Information - Note: NFDA does not endorse these companies. This list is simply being provided for the convenience of funeral professionals.