BE SCARED BUT BE SAFE
Precautions urged for Halloween trick-or-treaters
Halloween 2020 reimagined is not all about trick- or-treating, but that certainly remains an option.
With COVID-19 pandemic numbers rising, trick- or-treating on Saturday night is still a go in Oakland County although precautions are urged.
It’s up to the parents whether they want to send young ones out to trick or treat on Saturday night, or find different activities.
In Lake Orion, they handed out 20,000 pieces of candy last week at the Halloween Extravaganza.
In Sylvan Lake, 200 kids turned out last week for the second annual Haunted Trail, which was double the amount from 2019.
“It was fine, the trail is for everybody. We ended up with a lot of people who were excited about it,’’ said Patrick Runk, Sylvan Lake parks and rec committee chair.
The trail didn’t replace trick- or-treating for most of the kids, it was just an added bonus.
“I would say most people are comfortable with trick- or-treaters. They just want to make sure the people who are doing the candy handout are going to do right by them,’’ Runk said. “I don’t think anyone is too worried about the trick- or-treating, it’s more getting the candy, and is the person going to be standing over their head or socially distanced or whatever.’’
City manager John Martin asked Runk for help for Halloween guidelines.
“When the city asked us from a parks and rec standpoint, we probably would have done anything,’’ Runk said. “From a haunted trail standpoint we were cautious about how we handed out the candy — it was all pre-bagged, it was handed to you you weren’t allowed to reach for it. Just what you would expect on those kind of things.’’
Trick- or- treating during a pandemic can be a tough decision for parents since some children are already missing out on so much due to taking classes virtually instead of interacting with friends.
To some moms and dads it’s not worth the risk. So instead they will create memories at home with costumes, family parties, crafts, candy and even scary movies.
The Halloween guidelines from Oakland County recommend that those who are sick sit it out. That includes trick- ortreaters and homeowners.
For kids, Oakland County recommends wearing a cloth face covering the mouth and nose. Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth face covering if it causes difficulty breathing. Instead wear a Halloween-themed cloth face covering.
Other suggestions from the county:
• Limit the number of houses to visit.
• Only trick or treat with household members.
• Do not gather in groups around houses.
• Only visit houses with safety measures in place.
• Keep 6 feet of distance between you, your children and other trick- or-treaters.
• Homeowners who hand out candy also need to take precautions including wearing a mask. It’s suggested that they hand out candy in the driveway or in the yard where social distancing is easier than at the doorway.
• If possible leave individual bags of candy on a table or doorstep for trick- ortreaters to grab.
Many areas are starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Check your local website for exact times.