When Is a Body Bag Needed? Infection Prevention Guidance in Plain Language

During COVID-19, many families saw loved ones wrapped in multiple plastic layers. Much of that was not required by the guidance. Here is a balanced summary.

Standard precautions come first

For most deaths, the main protection for workers is standard precautions: hand hygiene, gloves, and additional PPE (apron or gown, eye protection, mask) when splashes are possible. Most infectious organisms do not survive long in a deceased person, and the risk is mainly from direct contact with blood and body fluids.

What WHO said for COVID-19

WHO’s interim guidance on the safe management of a dead body in the context of COVID-19 advised not to use body bags unless recommended by standard mortuary practice – for example excessive fluid leakage, after a post-mortem, for transport outside the mortuary, or when managing large numbers of bodies. If used, bags should be solid, leak-proof and non-biodegradable, or doubled if thin. The guidance also stressed respect for the dignity, culture and religion of the deceased and their family.

In South Africa, the national Department of Health also clarified during the pandemic that wrapping bodies and coffins in plastic was unwarranted.

When stronger containment is needed

• Remains leaking significant fluids, or after trauma or post-mortem
• Transport between facilities or over long distances
• Diseases that remain transmissible after death – for example viral haemorrhagic fevers, anthrax, smallpox – where specific national guidelines and GN R.363 regulation 12 apply
• Mass-fatality incidents

Material vs. complete-bag performance

A film that is impermeable in a laboratory test does not make a leak-proof bag. Fluids escape through seams, zips and handle attachments. For high-risk use, look for evidence on the complete bag.

Do not disinfect the body

WHO guidance advises against spraying or disinfecting the body itself. Disinfect surfaces, equipment and, where protocols require, the outside of the bag.

See also: High-barrier bags explained and Common misconceptions.

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Educational resource only. This article does not replace facility protocols, infection-prevention policies, official forensic procedures, manufacturer instructions or legal advice. Always verify product suitability against the applicable protocol and supplier test evidence. Last reviewed: October 2026.