Due to the Corona virus Trick or Treating will be different this year. The CDC has put out recommendations and ways to prevent spreading the virus. They want to keep us social distanced and spaced out so we can limit the virus spread.  Halloween has been a tradition for many families for several years.  This year will be very different, however, Halloween can still be a meaningful and fun evening for children and adults while paying attention to some safety guidelines for the health and safety of all involved.

The CDC has suggested low risk activities, moderate risk activities, and higher risk activities. They would prefer us to stay within the low risk parameters. Some low risk examples are carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them, carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends, decorating your house, apartment, or living space, doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance, having a virtual Halloween costume contest, having a Halloween movie night with people you live with, and having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house. Moderate examples of how to stay safe on Halloween are participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance, having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart, attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart, going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart, visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing, and having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart. More higher risk activities include participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door, having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots, attending crowded costume parties held indoors, going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming, and going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household.

So, if you choose to go Trick or Treating or to participate in a Halloween activity with friends make sure you wear your mask and stay 6 feet apart.  The guidelines are for everyone’s safety.  Halloween will continue to be a wonderful and fun evening for families and friends.