Funeral in Africa, can close family members attend?

[SpringisSpinning]

Fly from UK?
Just wondering.

I think it depends on quarantine rules there and then obv back .. I'm sorry for your loss.

It depends on where in Africa, presumably.

www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#international-travel

Wrt leaving the UK - you are permitted to leave your home to attend a funeral, therefore you are allowed to travel abroad for a funeral. However, whether you have to quarantine in your destination country and whether any airline is flying there atm depends where in Africa you are heading. Africa is a big place.

On your return to the UK you MUST quarantine in an approved hotel at a cost of £1750. Your place must be booked before you fly home.

I would be rather cautious of any funerals in certain parts of West Africa atm, due to an outbreak of Ebola in the region.

Attending funerals in a country you don't live in is fairly crap atm. My dad died and due to quarantine situations in the UK and abroad not all of his children were able to attend his funeral. Sometimes the law makes it impossible. We are planning a different way of celebrating his life at a later date.

Back, so sorry to hear that, its so awful isn't it, as if grief isn't enough.

Sorry to hear about the death in your family. These are tough times to lose people you love and care about.

Last year, my mother died 2 weeks just before the UK lockdown, in Nigeria, West Africa. I didn't feel able to go (health issues), it was a heartbreaking decision, as we'd started making plans about travelling etc. Fortunately, I had been to see her, just 2 weeks before her death.

Luckily, I had other relatives over there to sort out the arrangements, just needed to send funds etc.
I had a little service at the church steps at roughly the same time they were burying her, to feel included.
I feel I missed out, saying goodbye, but got say goodbye on my own terms. I also missed seeing other family and family friends.

But to be fair, there wasn't much social distancing taking place (although most wore face masks), from the photos. And there were a lot more people there, than should have been.

Hence, Covid is still in play.

Don't forget depending on which part of Africa you plan to go to, you have to remember Malaria and water-borne diseases. & air-conditioning has it's own issues! You will also probably have to quarantine when you get back.
Speak with your family.

I know of someone who went out for a relatives funeral, caught covid and died out there, leaving motherless children. Is the risk really worth it?

Sorry for your loss. It’s worth speaking to the embassy of the country you would be travelling to, as I know some countries have different rules for compassionate visits which may for example reduce hotel quarantines to home quarantine.

@Jeremyironseverything

I know of someone who went out for a relatives funeral, caught covid and died out there, leaving motherless children. Is the risk really worth it?

Massive eye roll. 🙄🙄🙄

As others have inferred, it depends entirely on which country you are going to. Obviously I understand you may not wish to divulge that. Interesting article here saying basically the continent is 50 countries all on different tracks. I work in various countries in Africa, and it is very different depending on where I go. Some countries (South Africa) we are not even permitted to get off the aircraft (I am currently operating freighters,) other countries we are confined to rooms, other countries we are confined to the hotel, other countries we are free to leave the hotel. It varies wildly. However Covid seems to be spreading rapidly through many African countries with a response very different to Europe. Social distancing is not as much of a thing, neither is mask-wearing. My circumstances of my dad’s death meant a lot of East African people attended, in the harshest part of the IK lockdown and from their behaviour you could see why Covid spreads at funerals. I have a West African friend too who has been home and says social distancing is pretty much non-existent.

It’s a rubbish situation, and one many have had to struggle with. I know that doesn’t make it any better. Whether you have to quarantine on arrival in Africa is dependent on country. You will have to quarantine for certain on return to the UK and take 2 Covid tests before you are released, and it is dependent on which countries you went to as to whether that quarantine is at home or not. There are no compassionate grounds for early release in the UK.

As I said, I attended my dad’s funeral in person, there were 8 of there. I was unable to attend my uncle’s funeral. As to whether I would go all the way to Africa for a funeral - it depends on how close the relative was. The shittest part of it all has been feeling robbed of the gatherings with my siblings and cousins.

Meant to add - but at least I hope that I will be able to get together with siblings and cousins at a later date, one day soon. Whichever way you decide to do it, I hope you get to too.