Halloween is this weekend. While the holiday is fun, there can be problems that we have written about in other years. This year, the CDC has some ideas on different types of fun and safe Halloween activities you may want to do with your family and friends, and ranks activities from lowest to highest risk.
Unfortunately, many classic Halloween traditions and activities can be high risk for spreading viruses. If you have been exposed to the coronavirus or have been diagnosed with it, do not participate in any in-person activities or give can to trick-or-treaters.
Lower risk activities: Instead, think about having a pumpkin carving contest with members of your household. You can have a pumpkin decorating activity outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends.
Organize a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-decorated items to look for while they walk around the neighborhood. You could have a virtual Halloween costume contest, or have a Halloween movie night with people in your household.
More moderate risk activities include participating in one-way trick-or-treating. People should place individually wrapped goodie bags outside for families to grab and go while social distancing. You could have a small outdoor costume parade with participants stationed 6 feet apart.
Remember that a costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. And don’t wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because that could make it hard to breathe. Halloween themed cloth masks are best.
You could also visit a pumpkin patch or orchard. Wearing masks should be encouraged or enforced, and people should still practice social distancing. You could have and outdoor Halloween movie night with people spaced at least 6 feet apart. But if screaming will occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of virus spread.
It’s a good idea to avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus: DOn’t participate in traditional trick-or-treating activities where candy is handed directly to children. Don’t participate in candy distribution from trunks of cars lined up in parking lots. Attending crowded indoor costume parties is risky, as is going to and indoor haunted house. Hayrides and tractor rides are also risky, as is traveling to a rural fall festival that isn’t in your community if there is community spread of COVID-19.
So enjoy these fun and safe Halloween activities, even during the pandemic.
