Halloween is nearly here! Are you ready? The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t mean you and your kids can’t still have a spooky fun time; read on for expert tips to keep your kids and yourself safe and healthy while still enjoying Halloween this weekend.
- Do show off your costumes and connect with friends and relatives via a virtual party. Hold a costume contest on your favorite web conferencing app, play Werewolf, Halloween trivia, or online group games, and/or carve your pumpkins in front of your web cameras and vote on the spookiest, funniest and cutest pumpkins!
- Don’t host or attend in-person Halloween parties. Small gatherings are increasingly contributing to the spread of COVID-19.
- Do wear a mask – whether you’re in costume or not. Remember, most costume masks are not substitutes for cloth or surgical masks. Instead, pick out a cloth mask that either matches your costume or is Halloween themed!
- Don’t hand out candy from a bowl. Crowds of trick-or-treaters around doors could easily spread COVID-19 among them, especially if they repeatedly crowd together at every house on the street.
- Do individually wrap treats in bags and set them out at least six feet apart where trick-or-treaters can easily grab them.
- Don’t trick-or-treat or give out candy if you feel sick. Even if you don’t have a fever or have recently tested negative for COVID-19, don’t take a chance on making a friend or neighbor sick.
- Do have a Halloween scavenger hunt with your family indoors or in your yard.
- Don’t go to a crowded Haunted House or on a haunted hay ride with people who aren’t from your household.
- Do visit a Halloween drive-thru for a new Halloween tradition.
- Don’t forget to check whether your state or town has curfews or requirements, and check out the CDC’s and National Safety Council’s Halloween safety tips!
Have fun and stay spooky,
👻 Dr. B