CDC says to avoid high risk Halloween activities, including trick or treating

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidelines on participating in Halloween activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Traditional Halloween activities have been sorted into three categories by the CDC: lower risk, moderate risk and higher risk.

The CDC said that anyone with COVID-19 or who may have been exposed to it should avoid participating in in-person activities.

Halloween costume masks are not substitutes for cloth masks, according to the CDC’s Halloween guidance.

“Higher risk activities:”

  • Traditional trick or treating
  • Trunk or treat events
  • Crowded costume parties held indoors
  • Indoor haunted houses where people may be crowded together/ screaming
  • Hayrides or tractor rides with people not in your household
  • Using alcohol or drugs
  • Rural festivals not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19

“Moderate risk activities:”

  • One-way trick or treating with individually wrapped goodie bags lined up for families to grab and go
  • Small group, outdoor/ open-air costume parades with social distancing
  • Costume parties outdoors where face masks are worn with social distancing
  • Open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest with face masks and social distancing
  • Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards with the use of hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or apples as well as face masks and social distancing
  • Outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with social distancing

“Lower risk activities:”

  • Carving/ decorating pumpkins with members of your household
  • Carving/ decorating pumpkins outside while socially distanced, with neighbors or friends
  • Decorating home with Halloween themed décor
  • Halloween scavenger hunt outside
  • Virtual Halloween costume contest
  • Halloween movie night with people you live with
  • Scavenger hunt-style trick or treat search with your household members around your home instead of going house to house

For more information on the CDC’s guidance for holiday activities, visit the CDC’s website.

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