If there’s two things you should know about Halloween, it’s these:
- Don’t split up
- Outdoors is safer than indoors
The first lesson is for if you’re ever in a scary movie. The second is for trick-or-treating during the COVID pandemic.
The Health Department has no good tips for making it through scary movies, but plenty of recommendations for trick-or-treating this year. In every case, though, if you’re stick, stay home and enjoy those scary movies on the couch.
Trick-or-treating
First, stay outdoors. Treats should be given out outdoors, so don’t invite trick-or-treaters in.
Second, wear a mask. And no, your Jason mask doesn’t count. When you’re around other people, especially if it’s crowded, everyone older than 2 should have a surgical or cloth mask on. And it should be up against their face, not over top of their Halloween mask.
Third, avoid crowds as much as possible. If a house or block looks really crowded, try another block and loop back later. Remind your trick-or-treaters not to crowd around the candy bowl and push up on the treat givers. Think about other ways you can give out candy: instead of a bowl, think about putting the individual pieces out on a table or tied to a fence.
Fourth, wash your hands. Definitely wash your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer before eating any candy, but it never hurts to keep on top of it during your outing.
Holiday parties
If you really want to have a Halloween party, hold it outdoors. Try to keep gatherings small, in case someone is sick and they don’t know it yet. If you choose to go to an indoor event and don’t know if everyone is vaccinated, you should stay masked the entire time. Large outdoor events should follow the Health Department’s guidance.
