When Covid came, the world changed. When funerals were banned, our grief, our normal coping, was banned too. For people who lost a loved one like host, Timothy Giles, being locked down meant also being locked out, from the social contact and support that helps us through the shock of loss.

Covid also shocked funeral professionals. The rules changed overnight. So who reacted so rapidly? Who made these crucial new rules? Gary Taylor, the president of The Funeral Directors’ Association, along with his industry peers, The Ministry of Health and a handful of under pressure politicians, did. We talk to Gary about how they made these rapid, weighty decisions. This At a Loss episode shares personal insight into the stress and anxiety of coping with unprecedented issues.