Grief, loss and the coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

The current pandemic has a wide-ranging impact. It is affecting our daily lives. It is affecting how we die. And it is affecting how we mourn and how we grieve.

We are experiencing much change and multiple losses. These losses might be obvious, such as jobs, income and physical connectedness. Less obvious losses include the losses of routine, freedom, trust in others, future plans, even a loss of how we thought the world works or should be. Because these losses do not involve a death, we might not recognise them as something that can cause grief; however, any loss, change or transition can cause grief.1 This means that many of us are likely to be living in a state of mild but chronic grief as we manage these multiple losses.