COVID: How to help someone who is grieving

The number of people who have died with COVID in the UK has passed 100,000. It's a devastating number and it leaves behind many thousands of grieving friends and families. So how can you support someone through the loss of a loved one?

"For every person who dies, around eight to ten people are significantly affected." psychotherapist Julia Samuel tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

Restrictions on going to funerals and rules around household mixing mean the normal support networks might not be as easy to reach. It is lonely grieving in a pandemic, especially at a time when you are not able to meet up with friends and family and have a hug.

Hannah Brady's dad Shaun died in with Covid-19 in May. She says it is important to stay in touch with your friends. "I would encourage people to private message, drop someone a text, a call, or send a card. It reminds them that although they are alone in grief, that you're there to walk through it with them."

Rosie says having to reply to all the WhatsApp messages, texts, and letters she received was overwhelming. A simple message followed by the words "don't feel you have to reply" relieved her of that stress. "It takes the pressure off so I could respond when I had the headspace. There's a lot of admin with having to reply - sometimes to people you haven't spoken to in ages."