Halloween and COVID-19: 5 Trick-or-Treating Tips to Keep You Safe
This year
Halloween falls on a full moon, something that only happens once every 18 to 19
years. An eerie occurrence, but not the
spookiest thing we’ll see in 2020. We are still in the midst of a pandemic with
numbers of cases fluctuating around the country. As the date quickly approaches, people are
asking - will kids be able to go trick-or-treating? Is Halloween 2020
cancelled?
It wouldn’t be the first event to be
cancelled due to COVID-19 but October 31st will remain on the
calendar. Easter and Independence Day still happened but the way we celebrated
this year looked a lot different. Last
Halloween you may have had lots of kids coming to your door in big groups,
maybe they stepped inside where they stuck their hand inside a big bowl of
candy, taking a handful before running out the door. This now goes against many of the safety
recommendations issued by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). As a result, Halloween will be
different this year. That, we know for
sure. Despite pressures from lawmakers
and local officials, the CDC has not yet released specific guidance regarding
Halloween and COVID-19. Families must
make the decision as to whether they will participate in trick-or-treating this
year and if they do, what precautions will they take. According to a Harris
Poll survey, 74% of young parents plan to make the most of Halloween this year
with 80% of all surveyed saying trick-or-treating is the number one thing to do
on Halloween
1. Stick to small groups
Recommendations from the CDC and health
officials warn people again gathering in large groups where physical distancing
isn’t possible. Trick-or-treating in smaller groups and sticking with those you
live with is best. Remind children to keep their distance and not to enter
anyone’s home. If you are handing out
candy to trick-or-treaters this year, hand candy out at the end of your
driveway or outside your door so no one enters your home. If your neighborhood sees a lot of trick-or-treaters,
consider putting out social distance markers.
You can get festive with it and use jack-o-lanterns indicating 6 feet.
2. Reduce cross-contamination
Halloween candy has been lining store
shelves for over a month. These candies often come individually packaged. However,
in previous years, it was common to have a large bowl where children would pick
a few of these treats themselves. This
year it is important to avoid cross-contamination. Ask the child to hold out their treat bag and
place the candies inside so you are the only person touching the candy. To increase distancing, use kitchen tongs to
hand out candies. Dispose of any candy that is not individually packaged or if
the packaging has been damaged or opened. Do not hand out any treats that are not
individually packaged like apples or candy corn.
3. Mask up
In the pre-COVID days, the only time we saw
masks may be at the dentist or on Halloween. Now masks are required in many
public locations as the CDC recommends wearing a mask in public settings and
when around people that don’t live in your household. Halloween 2020 is the
perfect year to incorporate a mask into your family’s costumes. For a mask to be considered effective, it
should have 2 or more layers and should cover the nose and mouth. Many Halloween costume retailers are ahead of
the game, selling these masks with jack-o-lantern smiles, clown smiles and
more. We can expect to see a lot of full-face
masks this year as well. If you are your
child is wearing a full mask, make sure their vision isn’t compromised and they
can clearly see where they are walking and cars when crossing the street.
Vehicles remain the biggest threat to trick-or-treaters. When handing out candy to children, don’t
forget to wear a mask as well.
4. Disinfect candy
While trick-or-treating, children may be
tempted to have a couple treats right away and you may have done this in
previous years. This year, wait until
you get home before touching any of the candy. For some, sorting through their
candy haul after a night of trick-or-treating is one of the best parts of
Halloween. This is the perfect
opportunity to disinfect your candy. Upon coming home, lay plastic sheets or
towels down and empty the candy on them.
Go through each piece to ensure the packaging is intact and wipe each
piece down with disinfectant wipes. The
packaging must be intact to ensure the candy is not compromised and so
disinfectant is not ingested. Throw out any candy where the packaging has been
opened or candies that cannot be disinfected. One a piece of candy has been disinfected,
place it in a new bowl or bag. After
this process is complete, be sure to wash your hands before eating any.
5. Bring hand sanitizer
The CDC recommends washing hands
often. This is especially important
before or after touching your face, handling your mask, petting an animal or
leaving a public place. With no access
to soap and water, bring hand sanitizer with you so you can clean you and your
children’s hands. Use a hand sanitizer
that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid
high-touch surfaces such as doorbells and railings if possible. If it can’t be avoided, use hand sanitizer
after you touch these areas.
During these
unprecedented times guidelines and local regulations change often. As we get
closer to the big day, continue to monitor these recommendations to ensure you
are following the most current safety guidelines. With some planning and
preparation, you and your family can enjoy the cherished tradition of
trick-or-treating in 2020. It may look at little different and you will need to
take some more precautions, but you don’t need to miss out if you follow these
5 trick-or-treating safety tips.
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