Disclaimer: while this guide applies to people opting to trick or treat and/or pass out candy this Halloween, it is not an encouragement for people to do so. Tips have been created based on recent recommendations from the CDC and various medical experts, while continuing to follow the COVID-19 safety guidelines.
With the smell of chocolates and candy corn in the air, Halloween is almost here, and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the holiday seems more frightening than ever. Whether you're passing out candy or taking your kids trick or treating, here are a few tips for how to have a safe and sick-free Halloween:
Check yourself before participating in any festivities
Have any COVID symptoms? Been in contact with someone who tested positive? Be cautious and don’t go out or give away candy. If you’ve been potentially exposed or are feeling sick, be kind, cautious, and courteous to all by staying at home.
Wear a mask!
When it comes to costume masks, a Spider-Man mask with no holes in the nose or mouth area would be safe for Halloween. A mask that only covers your eyes/forehead, or one that has holes in the nose and/or mouth area is not safe for Halloween and your face would require additional covering.
Lots of costumes come with masks, and with all the heroism of our loved ones on the front lines, it will be no surprise if several children dress up as their favorite masked doctors and nurses this Halloween. However, not every costume does, and a Zorro one that covers just your eyes just won’t cut it. Therefore, equip your kiddo with a mask to cover their nose and mouth, either a disposable one to use just on the 31st, or washable and reusable options. Consider supporting a local artist or Etsy seller and buy a fun (and possibly themed or color-coordinated) mask to go with your child’s costume. As for households passing out candy, you are not required to dress up, but you should make masks a mandatory part of your attire this Halloween.
Keep things outside
When it comes to personal interactions, outside is safer than inside or even in a doorway, so driveways and front lawns/porches are the best place to be collecting or passing out candy this year. Bonus points to households who can tie in their candy display with their front yard decorations.
Watch your touch points
Ringing doorbells and digging through bowls of candy are just not good ideas this year. Doorbells and door knocks are easily avoided if candy passers stay outside (see above), however to dodge candy diggers you might need to monitor your candy bowl (from a six-foot distance) and instruct kids to take the first piece they touch, or put your bowl on a chair in your driveway with a sign with the same statement. Parents should further reinforce this by reminding children to look first, and the one you touch is the one you have to take.
Candy households, in preparation for the big night, please don’t accidentally breathe or sneeze on your candy. Don’t even touch it unless you’ve washed your hands first. If you want to hand out candy personally, wearing clean gloves or using tongs (or chopsticks if you want a dexterity challenge) is a must. The best way to do this while keeping a six-foot distance however, is by tossing candy into trick or treaters' candy bags, as long as your aim is great and the kids are skilled enough to catch it.
Or better yet, ditch passing out from the candy bowl entirely this year and try some alternatives, like sprinkling goodie bags across your driveway, setting up a folding table with the candy all spread out, or using a candy slide/chute. Whatever method you chose, share candy goodness without spreading germs.
Have a sanitation system for candy eating
Whether between houses, on the ride home, or in the leftover candy days following Halloween, come up with a game plan for how your kiddos should safely snack. One safe option for patient children is to wait three days for any virus germs to die off before unwrapping any candy (it would be wise to have a small, sanitized candy stash to nibble on in the meantime), or sanitizing all the wrappers before digging in. You can also unwrap everything while wearing gloves and eat only with clean bare hands, or have a designated candy unwrapper. Preferably a parent or older sibling, they’ll unwrap everyone’s candy, only touching the outside wrapper (dirty), while the eater only touches the candy and the inside wrapper (clean). Once all the requested wrappers have been opened, the unwrapper can then sanitize their hands. Just make sure whatever sanitation route you take to watch where you lick. No one likes Purell flavored fingers or candy.
Stay informed
Before the big night, check your community's recommended guidelines for any specific policies or restrictions. Note the rules in your given area, as they may vary from neighborhood to town to county.
Ultimately, consider what is safest for you
If you don’t feel comfortable, don’t push yourself. You don’t have to participate if you’re not feeling safe, however before completely hanging up your costumes for the year, consider at least pivoting onto a different path. There was normal, and now we live in the new and creative normal. Trunk or treats have long been one safe alternative to door-to-door trick or treating. Another option (requiring some creativity from parents) is to host trick or treating for your kids in just your home, with parents hiding and seeking behind different doors all throughout the house, pretending to be multiple candy households under one roof. Or you can buy a bag of candy, dress up in your costumes, and sit on the couch watching Halloween movies. Whatever you and your family choose to do, be safe and smart about it, and find a way to make this Halloween fun for you.
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