Guidance for recording COVID-19 on a medical certificates of the cause of death (MCCD)
Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 postmortem
This has still to be determined but appears to have a similar distribution to that in the living.
Incubation period
The incubation period is estimated to be between 1 and 14 days, with a median of 5 to 7 days. Viable virus is relatively short lived; infectiousness peaks around 1 day before symptom onset and declines within 7 days. The pooled mean incubation period is 9.6 days in children.
Read more on the BMJ best practice website.
Duty of care
The certifying doctor owes a duty of care to the family and funeral director. If there is any doubt regarding infectivity postmortem then the hazard box on the MCCD (DH1) should be ticked.
Deaths not related to COVID-19 disease although testing positive for the virus within 28 days of the death
Where a death occurs within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, but the death has not been caused by or contributed to COVID-19, notification of the positive test is not required on the MCCD. However, the relevant hazard box/es need to be completed as ‘Y’ (Yes) if a hazard is present, even if it has not caused or contributed to the death.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Guidance
The guidance states:
“if you have any doubts about whether to notify a condition, on the grounds of its seriousness or potential to affect others, you should discuss the condition with the local Health Protection Team or another senior colleague”.
Read the full guidance on the Scottish Government website.