The CDC Offers Tips for a Safe Halloween in the Crossroads

To Trick or Not to Treat?

2020 has caused quite some ruckus. COVID-19 has shifted how we live our daily lives and made us more cautious of everything we do. However, as Fall approaches, so do the festivities and holidays. That means Halloween is right around the corner, but what does this new way of living mean for you and your family? Will Halloween go on as usual, or will this holiday celebration be just as altered as the rest of the year has been?

If you are on the wall, take a look at some of the low-to-high risk activities that the CDC has published on their site.

Lower risk activities are deemed to be the safest alternative this Halloween:

Carving or decorating pumpkins
Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
Halloween scavenger hunt

Moderate risk activities:

Participating in one-way trick-or-treating were individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade
Visiting pumpkin patches

Higher risk activities:

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

If you do plan on going out and trick-or-treating this Halloween or even just dressing up and passing out candy, be sure to remember to wear a mask. More importantly, the CDC placed a reminder that costumes masks are NOT appropriate substitutes for cloth masks *unless it is made of two or more breathable fabric layers that cover your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face.

CDC also warns:

Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.

Thanks to Alexandria Salinas for her contribution to this story.