ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Several funeral homes are working overtime to provide proper services for families of those who have lost their lives to COVID-19.
The state’s coronavirus hospitalizations have been steadily decreasing, and health officials said it’s either because patients get better or they die.
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The families are devastated and heartbroken, and they are looking to give their loved ones a proper goodbye.
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“We are working around the clock to accommodate families,” said Todd DeGusipe, a local funeral director. “Right now, it’s 24/7 times two.”
He said his business use to arrange 10 to 15 funerals. Now, that number is close to 25.
Other funeral directors said they are unable to keep up and have had to turn families away.
Some funeral homes have had to schedule services upward of two weeks out because they are overwhelmed and understaffed.
DeGusipe said he’s been doing whatever he can to accommodate families because he knows how important a heartfelt funeral service is.
“There is a backlog, especially with other funeral homes, and we’re just trying to work families in and out, reducing the amount of time that they spend,” DeGusipe said. “Instead of spending four or five hours with all the family — maybe an hour to two hours to try to get (those) time slots available for the family.”
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Orange County health leaders said 71% of residents who are eligible for a vaccine have received at least one shot.
In the past five days, 56 more people have died of COVID-19 in Orange County, including a baby. Ten of them were fully vaccinated.
Last week, more people died from COVID-19 in Florida than any other week during the pandemic.
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