Managing Mass Fatalities during COVID ‐19: Lessons for Promoting Community Resilience during Global Pandemics

In the United States and around the world , COVID‐19 represents a mass fatality incident , as there are more bodies than can be handled using existing resources . Although the management and disposition of bodies is distressing and heartrending , it is a task that local , state , and federal governments must plan for and respond to collaboratively with the private sector and faith‐based community . When mass fatalities are mismanaged , there are grave emotional and mental health consequences that can delay recovery and undermine community resilience . Using insights from one author's mass fatality management research during the 2010 Haiti earthquake , this Viewpoint essay explores how mass fatalities are being managed in response to COVID‐19 . Based on the researcher's findings a decade ago , it is apparent that many lessons have not been learned . The essay concludes by providing governments with practical lessons on how to manage mass fatalities to facilitate and promote community resilience .