The coronavirus pandemic has tragically taken the lives of tens of thousands of Americans, leading to a lot of grief among loved ones.

This health crisis is impacting so many people that we are bound to know someone who knows someone who has succumbed to the illness, said Amanda K. Darnley , a licensed psychologist in Philadelphia.

But consoling a friend who has lost someone to this virus may require some extra caution, as experts note that the normal rules of grief dont exactly apply here, said Caroline Schrank , a funeral director in Brooklyn. These particular deaths are a whole other level of grief that most people dont understand, she said.

You may have the best intentions, but it can be so common and easy to send the wrong message. As you work to comfort those in this position, here are a few phrases you shouldnt say and tips on what to say instead:

I know how you must be feeling.

Even though you may have lost a loved one in the past, you cant really know how someone else is feeling in their loss especially since the circumstances now are very different.

Because of the shelter in place related to the coronavirus, the person grieving may not have been able to be with their loved one while they were ill or when they passed, said Allen Klein , author of Embracing Life After Loss and former director of the Life-Death Transitions Institute in San Francisco. In addition, they may be dealing with other unusual and difficult circumstances you didnt encounter.

Klein said you should listen to what the person who lost a loved one is saying and acknowledge their pain. For example, you can say, Im so sorry for your loss, this must be extremely difficult for you.

You cant

Because of social distancing restrictions and safety issues associated with travel, many things that a grieving family would normally do arent possible right now. Alan D. Wolfelt, director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado, said you should try to offer some solutions instead of putting the focus on what a grieving loved one cant do.

For example, funerals can be streamed online. A memorial service can be held later this year, Wolfelt said. And you can take it a step further and say, Ill help you plan it, he added.