The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted nearly every event this year from vacations and weddings to holidays and birthdays. Unfortunately, it will also impact this year’s Halloween activities, but families can still find creative ways to celebrate Halloween while keeping our community safe.
Should You Go Trick-or-Treating?
The number one question most families will be asking is: Should you take your kids trick-or-treating? Since trick-or-treating involves interacting with people outside of your household, it’s best to find alternative ways to experience Halloween this year.
Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and CDC health officials recommend that people avoid door-to-door trick-or-treating due to the challenge of maintaining proper social distancing on porches and at front doors.
What’s wrong with trick-or-treating? Yancy Phillips, MD, Chief Clinical Officer at Holy Cross Health, says, "Traditional trick-or-treating is high-risk because of the close contact of those handing out candy and trick-or-treaters. Plan ahead to make Halloween safe through low- or moderate-risk activities such as a virtual Halloween costume contest."
Other high-risk activities you should avoid doing this Halloween include: Attending crowded costume parties, going to haunted houses where people may be crowded together and screaming, and going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household.
Alternatives to Trick-or-Treating
While trick-or-treating may be high risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still plenty of safe ways to celebrate Halloween with your family. Here are some low- and moderate-risk activities that your family can enjoy if everyone practices safe behaviors, including wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose and maintaining physical distance of six feet.
- Carve or decorate pumpkins with members of your household and display them
- Decorate your house, apartment, or living space with spooky Halloween decorations
- Have a Halloween scavenger hunt where you give children a list of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
- Have a virtual/online Halloween party or costume contest
- Have a Halloween movie night with people you live with
- Have a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
- Visit a pumpkin patch or orchard where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain physical distancing
Stay Safe During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to follow safe health practices on Halloween and every day. Here’s what health experts recommend:
- Wear a cloth face covering to prevent disease spread when outside your home and around others that are not part of your household.
- Avoid confined spaces. Actively stay away from indoor spaces that do not allow for easy distancing of at least six feet between you and others.
- Avoid close contact. Stay at least six feet away from all other people who are not part of your own household, especially while talking, eating, and drinking.
- Wash or sanitize your hands often.
- Clean frequently touched items regularly.
- If you are sick, or you have been in contact with someone who is sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19, stay home and away from others.
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Holy Cross Health presents the information in this blog as a resource for our community. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice or to endorse any particular entity or service. Personal health problems should be brought to the attention of the appropriate health professionals.