Halloween seen as kicking off return to fairly normal holidays
Halloween could mark the first of a fairly normal holiday season since the coronavirus pandemic began as the country’s top health experts have given the green light for trick-ortreating and other spooky celebrations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, speaking on Fox News Sunday, said, “I would say put on those costumes, stay outside and enjoy your trick-or-treating.”
She said trick-or-treating is “very safe” for kids so long as they are spread out.
The nation’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci also said going door to door to load up on candy is a safe activity in the face of coronavirus, as previously reported in the Herald.
“You’re outdoors, for the most part, at least when my children were out there doing trick-or-treating,” Fauci said. He added, “And enjoy it. I mean, this is a time that children love. It’s a very important part of the year for children. I know my children enjoyed it.”
For indoor Halloween celebrations, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is reminding everyone of the state’s current mask advisory, which recommends that even vaccinated people mask up inside if you have certain medical conditions that make you susceptible to coronavirus.
CDC guidance recommends avoiding crowded indoor celebrations and notes that Halloween costume masks are not an appropriate substitute for a well-fitting face masks or cloth face coverings.
This year’s health guidance is a significant change from last year’s frightful recommendations when the CDC named everything from trick-or
‘I would say put on those costumes, stay outside and enjoy your trickor-treating.’
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky
treating to screaming in a haunted house a high risk activity, and many cities and towns in Massachusetts shut down trick-ortreating due to high virus transmission.
Last year the CDC said trick-or-treating, hayrides, fall festivals, costume parties and haunted houses were a no-go, but put pumpkin carving, virtual costume contests and athome scavenger hunts on the low-risk list.
All of that guidance is now gone, clearing the way for people to enjoy the holiday haunts with everyday precautions such as masking and distancing in place.
Most Halloween parties and trick-or-treating activities in Massachusetts cities and towns will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected throughout the day and night on Saturday with temperatures in the mid-50s, but Sunday will clear up with partly cloudy skies and temps in the low 60s during the day. Halloween night will be a chilly 50 degrees with clear skies.