Día de los Muertos Should be Celebrated at Home Due to Coronavirus, Officials Say

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, will have to be a more subdued celebration this year due to the coronavirus.

Marigolds, also known in Mexico as "flowers of the dead" may lose their strong scent and vibrant colors as Mexican officials decided to close cemeteries until November 2.

Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that many Día de los Muertos traditions will be the same amid the pandemic.

With over 85,700 official deaths reported in Mexico and over 200,000 deaths reported in the U.S., Día de Los Muertos will have to be moved at home.

Marigolds are likely to wither without getting to cemeteries this year, as people are kept inside their homes, noted WION.

Concepcion Cruz, who cultivates marigolds in Mexico City, told Reuters that she had many losses this year.

She said flowers are getting planted and grown at a slower rate. Only about half as many of the flowers grown this year would have been planted normally for Día de los Muertos.

Pulling back on the celebrations is part of the sacrifice that Mexico will have to deal with to curb the spread of the virus, said Columba Lopez. She is the director of the Commission for Natural Resources and Rural Development in Mexico City.

Some U.S. states and cities also saw this shift coming. California, for example, prepared some virtual and in-person events for their Latino residents, reported Los Angeles Daily News.

Honoring COVID-19 Deaths for Día de los Muertos

In the Day of the Dead, Catholic rituals blend with pre-Hispanic belief that the dead return to the Land of the Living once a year from the underworld.

During the three-day celebration, cemeteries, public gardens and houses are filled with bright marigolds to guide the dead to their place of rest.

Families build ofrendas or altars adorned with their family member's photographs, candy skills and the like. The dead are also offered food or whatever they may want to get after a journey from the Land of the Dead.

As a celebration of the lives of those who passed, this year's Día de los Muertos is going to be a special one.

Some wounds of loved ones who passed away may come fresh as the pandemic is still sweeping the globe with infections and deaths.

Since cemeteries are going to be closed this year, with more dead to remember because of the pandemic, Latinos are moving to a more private celebration.

But that does not mean this year is going to be any less special than other Día de los Muertos.

"This year is very special because my family members died of COVID-19," Dulce Maria Torres told Reuters. She said this year is going to be important for her and she'd still want a beautiful offering.

Health Guidelines for Día de los Muertos

While the holiday can't be celebrated in its original setting, the CDC suggested some low risk activities for the Day of the Dead.

The agency suggested preparing family recipes for family and neighbors and delivering them without contact as a safe alternative.

Other suggestions also include playing music that deceased loved ones enjoyed, decorating or making an altar for the deceased or joining virtual get-togethers with family.

Check these out!

4 Significant Día de los Muertos Traditions to Honor Departed Loved Ones

4 Small-Budget Day of the Dead Movies That You Need to See This Month

CDC Holiday Guidelines Includes Dia de los Muertos Celebration