Non-COVID-19 related dying and death during the pandemic

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has extracted a terrible toll on the physical health of those it afflicts. However, one must not overlook other secondary effects from the COVID-19 pandemic. The psychological, social and emotional wellbeing of COVID-19 patients and their families is being eroded. This is due to the huge social disruption that accompanies social distancing and quarantine measures. For non-COVID-19 patients such pandemic controls measures have been highly disruptive. This is particularly true for the most physically vulnerable populations i.e palliative patients. Their caregivers and families have great difficulty in carrying out the daily care needed for them. This chapter hopes to highlight the grief and ethical dilemma experienced by caregivers and patients during the periods of isolation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.