A healthy Halloween
trick-or-treating can still be done safely – with modifications
Just like everything else in 2020, Halloween will be challenging this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, especially when it comes to trick-or-treating.
But does that mean the spooky holiday should be canceled? Not according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recently released guidelines on its website about how to celebrate safely.
The CDC has split traditional
Halloween activities into three categories: lower risk, moderate risk, and higher risk. There is also a whole section on holiday celebrations that is filled with tips, guidance and specifics for children.
Unsurprisingly, the higher risk activities are those that involve close contact with other people, such as trick-or treating, attending crowded indoor costume parties, and going to an indoor haunted house with lots of screaming people.
It also goes without saying that if there’s a possibility you have COVID-19, or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you shouldn’t take part in any Halloween festivities.
The Yuma Police Department, citing concerns over the ongoing pandemic, has already decided to cancel its annual Scary & Safe Trick or Treat event, which is held each year at the Yuma County Fairgrounds.
The Trick-or-Treat on Main Street also won’t be held this year either.
Some cities across the country, such as Beverly Hills, have even gone as far as banning house-to-house trick-or-treating and carbased “trunk or treating.”
However, with some adjustments, the CDC says some high risk activities such as trick-or-treating can also be made safer, even in the midst of this pandemic.
So what does the CDC recommend when it comes to trick-or-treating?
Maintain social distancing by staying at least at least 6 feet away from other groups and do not congregate outside houses.
If you prefer to avoid trick-or-treaters you can set up a table on your porch or out in front of your house on the sidewalk with individually wrapped candy spaced out or grab-and-go goodie bags for children to take.
If you hand out candy, you should always wear a mask and wash your hands before handing out treats. Children picking up these treats can add an extra safety step by using hand sanitizer between stops.
As for costumes, no mat
ter how awesome they may be, children will still need to wear a cloth protective mask underneath their costume mask, which may not provide the proper protection.
If you want to feel even safer, you can also sterilize your child’s candy trove when you get home afterward with bleach wipes. And make sure everyone washes their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating
any of the candy.
Parents should also encourage their trick-or-treaters to respect the wishes of neighbors who may not want visitors coming to their doors this year.
The CDC, however, also stressed that the suggestions are meant to supplement – not replace – any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which holiday gatherings must comply.
The main way COVID-19 is spread is through the air in the form of droplets or aerosols, which makes someone much more likely to get infected indoors due to sharing the air with others.
However, when you are outside, the fresh air disperses these droplets and aerosols, thus reducing your risk of being infected.