COVID-19 Guidance for Communities and Families: Stay Safe this Halloween - Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating in which treats are handed out to each child should not take place this year and need to be avoided.

- Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating in which treats are handed out to each child should not take place this year and need to be avoided.

 

COVID-19 Guidance for Communities and Families: Stay Safe this Halloween

There are many ways to celebrate Fall this year including safe Halloween activities. Protect yourself and your household by knowing your risk. The Delaware Division of Public Health offers the following tips to help you safely enjoy all that the season has to offer.

IMPORTANT: Individuals who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and who are currently isolating from others, as well as those individuals who have recently been exposed to a person with COVID-19, should not participate in any in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters in any of the following scenarios.

Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween.

Consider low risk activities:

This might be the Halloween to stay home, enjoy some quiet time with a fresh apples and nutritious snacks (OK, maybe some candy) and consider some family activities. Activities that can be done at home with members of your household will pose less risk than traditional trick- or-treating.

• Pumpkin carving and decorating your home

• Hosting a virtual costume contest, Halloween get together or drive-by decoration

  viewing with friends and neighbors

• Having a Halloween movie marathon

• Having a scavenger hunt (think Easter Egg hunt) in and around your home rather than

  going house to house.

  Protect yourself during moderate risk activities

  Traditional trick-or-treating poses some additional risk because of all the hands in the candy bowls. If you choose to take part in some traditional Halloween activities, make sure to modify the activities and take precautions to lower risk.

• Wear face coverings at all times. (Hint: Most Halloween masks are NOT protective enough to be considered face coverings)

• Provide treats without direct contact. For example, you could place individual treat portions on your porch and interact with treaters from at least 6 feet away with

Revised 10/1/2020

everyone wearing a face covering or through a window. Make sure to sanitize your

hands between treat handling.

• Host open-air, socially distant gatherings. Don’t bob for apples.

• Find a farm where you can pick-your-own pumpkins or apples. Be sure to frequently

  sanitize, wear a face covering, and maintain 6-feet social distancing from individuals who don’t reside in your own household. If you visit a farm, store or stand, make sure it is one that is requiring everyone kindergarten age and up to wear face coverings and is taking other steps to keep people socially distanced and safe. The Delaware Department of Agriculture has developed guidance that can be found here: https://agriculture.delaware.gov/communications-marketing/buy-local-delaware-guide/

• Attend trunk-or-treat events with proper social distancing and face covering requirements in place along with other precautions. Larger events (more than 250 people) must have a DPH-approved plan (plans may be submitted to hspcontact@delaware.gov)

  Avoid high-risk activities, where face coverings and other requirements are not enforced. People involved in gatherings or activities that are not in compliance with current restrictions may be at risk for penalties or administrative actions.

• Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating in which treats are handed out to each child should not take place this year and need to be avoided.

• Trunk-or-treat events should not be conducted unless there is a process in place to maintain social distancing between families and enforce the use of non-costume mask face coverings. Larger events (more than 250 people) require a plan to be approved by DPH (plans may be submitted to hspcontact@delaware.gov).

• Avoid hayrides with people from outside of your household unless everyone is wearing a face covering and is 6 feet apart from non-household members.

• All indoor activities with people outside of your household should be avoided, including: o Any indoor parties, like costume parties.
  o Indoor haunted houses unless they have proper precautions in place. Larger

  attractions (more than 250 people) must have a DPH-approved plan.

Revised 10/1/2020