HOUSTON – The coronavirus pandemic has impacted multiple holidays like Easter, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Halloween is next on the list as the Fall/Winter holiday season kicks off and it looks like people will have to celebrate this one a little differently this year, too.
Dr. Stephen Ostroff, a former deputy commissioner and chief scientists for the Food and Drug Administration and deputy director for the Centers for Disease Control, shared five guidelines people should follow to stay safe while celebrating Halloween.
Recommended Videos
- Most Halloween celebrations are outside and costumes already require masks, so get creative with face coverings and gatherings. “Work with your child to think of ways to integrate clever, while still protective, face coverings into their Halloween costume,” Ostroff recommends. “Consider holding a small outdoor gathering of children with required physical distancing in the yard or elsewhere in the neighborhood. Even a small pageant or parade can be held safely outdoors if six feet of physical distancing is maintained.”
- Remember to enforce social distancing. Even if you are outside with proper ventilation, the virus can be spread in close contact, so do your best to stay at least 6 feet apart.
- Work with trusted neighbors to have candy places outside so your kids can trick-or-treat and show off their costumes without having to come into close contact with anyone.
- Bring hand sanitizer and use it frequently if you are tick-or-treating or if you are at a gathering. If it also important to remember to thoroughly wash your hands when possible.
- While many parents are in the habit of checking their kids candy, it is even more important this year to check for any packaging that may be loose or open. Ostroff said to also being disinfectant wipes just in case.
For more tips on how to stay safe this Halloween visit the CDC website.