CDC Recommends NO Trick-Or-Treat, Trunk-Or-Treat – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they recommend that there should be no trick-or-treat, trunk-or-treat, parties, etc. #Halloween
CDC Recommends NO Trick-Or-Treat, Trunk-Or-Treat
Halloween is a time when a lot of families dress up in costumes and head out to get some treats. They may go door-to-door trick-or-treating or even go to a church or fair grounds with parked cars and opened trunks to do Trunk-or-treats. In some cases, some people to parties and treats are given out. Nonetheless, the CDC recommends that we don’t do any of this.
This recommendation is to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
If you do dress up, don’t replace the Halloween mask for an actual face mask! They are not a part of or substitute for face coverings.
As the CDC Recommends NO Trick-Or-Treat, Trunk-Or-Treat, check out this list of Halloween Alternatives! (Note some may not be possible due to restrictions)
Lower risk activities
These lower risk activities can be safe alternatives:
- Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
- Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
- Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
- Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
- Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
- Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
- Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
Moderate risk activities
- Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
- If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags.
- Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
- Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
- A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
- Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
- Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
- If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
- Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart
- If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
- Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
Higher risk activities
Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
- Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
- Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
- Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
- Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
- Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
- Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19
People who should not attend in-person holiday celebrations
People with or exposed to COVID-19
Do not host or participate in any in-person festivities, if you or anyone in your household
- Has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and has not met the criteria for when it is safe to be around others
- Has symptoms of COVID-19
- Is waiting for COVID-19 viral test results
- May have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
- Is at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19
People at increased risk for severe illness
If you are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, or live or work with someone at increased risk of severe illness, you should
- Avoid in-person gatherings with people who do not live in your household.
- Avoid larger gatherings and consider attending activities that pose lower risk (as described throughout this page) if you decide to attend an in-person gathering with people who do not live in your household.
The CDC also recommends avoiding singing, chanting, or shouting, especially when not wearing a mask and within 6 feet of others.
These considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which holiday gatherings must comply.
For a full list of activities ranked from low to high risk, additional guidelines on preparing for a safe Halloween holiday, and to learn more on staying safe during other upcoming holidays, visit the CDC’s website here.
This year Halloween is on a Saturday, it is noted that when Halloween falls on a Saturday, it can be more dangerous.
If you do go, here is a creative on the go hand washing idea!
That’s not stopping some churches, they are getting creative with Drive-Thru Trunk-or-Treats!
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