DE PERE — More people may be able to hug grieving family or friends at funerals.
The latest CDC guidance states fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to practice social distancing in most cases. That would apply to most funerals in Northeast Wisconsin, unless the funeral home, church or family requires it.
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Matt Cotter, owner and funeral director of Cotter Funeral & Cremation Care in De Pere, said the pandemic has been especially difficult for people mourning the loss of a loved one.
At the beginning of the pandemic, no more than 10 people could attend an in-person funeral service. Cotter said many people live streamed services so those that couldn't attend could still participate. Even as public gathering restrictions loosened, common acts of support, like hugging or handshakes, were discouraged as state and national leaders promoted social distancing.
"You could just see in people's eyes, somebody would go in for a hug and they'd either back away or (say) "hey." It's been devastating," Cotter said. "People are just use to that hug or that handshake that is comfort, and not being able to do that, they didn't know what else to do. What else do you do if you can't hug or give someone a handshake?
Cotter said they've had close to 100 funerals so far this year. He said the home held about 260 funerals in 2020.
He said while some people did greet each other with hugs or handshakes throughout the pandemic, others were hesitant. Cotter said the new CDC guidance might make some people feel more safe when comforting family or friends.
“I think it gives people that confidence in wanting to go in and give a grieving family member a hug, or have that physical contact that they haven’t had in a year and a half is finally here," Cotter said. "We've had a lot of people for awhile that are acting like they want to, but they just didn't have the confidence to do it. So they were looking for that guidance, and now that it's finally arrived, I think we'll see things get back to a little more semblance of normal."
The new CDC guidelines also state those who are fully vaccinated don't need to wear face coverings in most settings.
Since De Pere's mask mandate expired last week, Cotter said the funeral home is letting families decide if they want guests to wear masks during a service. He asks attendees to respect the family's decision.
