Officials offer guidance on Halloween,
Health officials, police offer guidance
Halloween celebrations during the coronavirus pandemic won’t be the same as years past, but there are still ways that families and individuals can get spooky, while still being safe and responsible.
Chana Goussetis, Boulder County Public Health spokesperson, encouraged people to look up Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment guidelines and advisory from the Centers for Disease Control. Both sources recommend finding an alternative to traditional Halloween celebrations such as trick-or-treating and costume parties.
Goussetis added that “as always, we urge families to stay vigilant with social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-washing.”
With Colorado’s hospitalizations from the virus seeing their largest spike since May, Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the state health department, told the Denver Post this week that she was concerned that Halloween could lead to more infections due to more social mixing. Hunsaker Ryan said that Colorado is experiencing a third wave of the virus and that she worries that if it’s not curbed that people could spread the respiratory illness when visiting family during the holidays.
In an effort to limit the spread of the virus, the CDPHE recommends “alternatives to traditional, door-todoor trick-or-treating,” according to its website. The CDPHE says that going door to door mixes “different households at close range” and makes complying with social distancing of 6 feet difficult.
The Centers for Disease Control lists safe options that have a low-risk of spreading the virus as events that limit contact to family or household members. This includes creating a candy treasure hunt around the household, having a virtual costume contest, watching Halloween movies at home and decorating the house or carving pumpkins with household members.
Passing out candy this year, even at a distance, comes with a risk. The CDC says a moderate-risk activity is one-way trick-or-treating, where people line up wrapped candy at the edge of a driveway or of a yard. Those who
do lay out treats should wash their hands for 20 seconds before and after putting out the candy. The CDPHE suggests using a plastic slide or cardboard tube to hand out candy in a socially distanced way.
The CDC says high-risk activities this Halloween include going door to door for trick-or-treating; trunk or treats, where people pass out candy from the trunk of their cars; going to an indoor haunted house; and attending crowded, indoor costume parties. People who participate in a high-risk activity or think they may have been exposed are advised to follow precautions for 14 days after, including staying home as much as possible and consider getting tested for the virus, the CDC says. The CDPHE reminds people that everyone 11 and older must wear a mask and that a Halloween mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask to protect from the virus. People should not wear a Halloween mask over their coronavirus mask, because it may be difficult to breathe. The CDC suggests people wear Halloween-themed coronavirus masks, instead of a Halloween mask. Anyone who is sick, who has tested positive or at risk for severe illness should not participate in in-person activities, the CDPHE says.
Longmont police Cmdr. James Brown said those who plan to be out and about Halloween night should also keep some basic safety in mind, such as making sure that children’s costumes have reflective material and that they carry a flashlight or glow stick to increase visibility.
Brown said Longmont officers hope to see people taking personal responsibility for following public safety guidelines on Halloween. He said police will still seek to take an educational stance when public safety violations are reported on Halloween.
“Our hope is that people can have fun, but be out there being as safe as possible,” Brown said. “When we get a call about a public health guideline violation, oftentimes by the time we arrive there, the people are already gone or it’s been resolved. Our best recommendation is making sure people are doing what they can to remain safe.”
He added that any time there is an emergency or dangerous situation, people should call police.
Officers will be patrolling on Halloween, but Brown said police won’t be able to have the same engagement that they typically do on the holiday.
“In years past, personally when I would patrol, we made make a point to get out of the patrol car and have contact with people and use the opportunity to have fun and take some pictures with people,” Brown said. “It’s going to be a little different this year, because we want to maintain social distancing.”
Officers will still engage with the public this year, Brown said, while abiding by public health guidelines, including wearing masks and practicing social distancing.
Boulder Police Department spokesperson Shannon Aulabaugh said the city will follow public health guidelines. Boulder will also staff additional officers the weekend of Halloween, which she said is typical. Boulder city spokesperson Sarah Huntley said that the city doesn’t release staffing numbers for law enforcement, but said the number of officers patrolling will be “comparable” to the presence seen during the first few weeks of school.
Boulder County is in a Safer at Home Level 2: Concern level, which means that people are considered to be safest at home but can practice some activities while adhering to public health guidelines. To be classified at this level, the county has to see no more than two new coronavirus hospital admissions each day and have a 10% positivity rate or less, based on CDPHE guidelines.
“We’re at a pivotal time right now,” Goussetis wrote in an email. “It’s so important that we limit transmission to keep the county at Safer at Home Level 2. We urge folks to consider this when they’re making their plans and check out CDPHE’S Halloween tips and tricks for safe activities.”