Staying safe on Halloween amid the pandemic

Like most of 2020, Halloween is going to look a lot different this year as COVID-19 continues to affect the country. Trick-ortreating may be discouraged or canceled in some areas this year. Costume parties may take place on Zoom or video chat. Some families may opt to stay home and watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” or enjoy a scary movie night with a bucket of Halloween candy.

If trick-or-treating is still on in your neighborhood, the Centers for Disease Control says you can lower your risk of contracting COVID-19 and protect your neighbors by participating in one-way trick-ortreating, where individually-wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard). Most importantly, you should keep doing what you’ve been doing all year: avoid large gatherings, keep a distance of six feet from others, wear a cloth face mask and carry hand sanitizer.

However, if you are displaying signs and symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu, or have been exposed to someone with the virus, you should skip the in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers additional tips to help children enjoy a healthy, safe Halloween, including:

⏩ Look for community events focused on safe ways to have fun, such as programs offered by a park district, arboretum, pumpkin patch, zoo or other outdoor venue in your area. Avoid indoor events such as haunted houses. Avoid crowds and clustering and follow safe distance rules even when outdoors.

⏩ Decorate pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.

⏩ If children are outdoors, consider marking their costumes with reflective tape. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement, or contact with flame. Remind children to be careful around cars, as drivers may not see them. Remind them also to wash hands really well when you return home.

More importantly, the AAP reminds us that this is a good time to teach children the importance of protecting not just themselves but others, as well. The decisions we make on this one day can have a ripple effect beyond our own families. Carefully planning your evening, taking common sense precautions, and following public health guidelines can increase the likelihood of a fun, frightful and COVID-free Halloween.