Health Department Shares Ways to Have Halloween During COVID-19

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

For residents planning to celebrate Halloween, Saturday, October 31 st , the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is recommending that you follow safe and healthy tips to participate in Halloween activities that may limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

As a reminder, any Halloween activities are subject to the current state gathering size limits as well as applicable sector-specific workplace safety standards.

Consistent with the Halloween activity guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some things to keep in mind in celebrating Halloween this year include:

Trick or Treating with Kids and Passing Treats Out at Home

  • Enjoy Halloween outside rather than attending indoor events.
  • Place candy on a platter instead of a bowl.
  • Instead of traditional trick or treating, opt for one-way trick-or-treating, with treats placed outside of the home for trick-or-treaters as a “grab and go” while keeping distance from others.
  • Consider leaving hand sanitizer by any treats left out for trick-or-treaters to use.

Masks – Mask Up MA

  • Wear a face mask or face covering. For more information on face masks and face coverings, please see the state’s Mask Up MA webpage.
  • A costume mask is not a substitute for a face mask or face covering. To protect yourself and others, ensure you are wearing a protective face mask or covering instead of or in addition to a costume mask.

Other Tips and Celebration Ideas

  • Observe good hand hygiene, including hand washing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol. Carry hand sanitizer and use it often, especially after coming into contact with frequently touched surfaces and before eating candy.
  • Refrain from touching your face.
  • Decorate your yard for others to enjoy from their car or while on a socially-distanced walk.
  • Hold virtual costume contests or pumpkin carving events.
  • Celebrate with members of your household with a Halloween-themed meal, Halloween movie night, or by preparing a Halloween scavenger hunt.
  • Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet of physical distance from all other participants who are not members of the same household.

Avoid

Attending crowded costume parties held indoors, or any gatherings that exceed indoor or outdoor gathering limits;

  • Indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming; and
  • Stay home and refrain from Halloween activities, including handing out Halloween treats, if:
    • you feel unwell;
    • you have tested positive for COVID-19;
    • you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19; or
    • you have traveled to or from a state that is not classified as lower risk within the last 14 days. For more information on lower risk states, please see the state’s COVID-19 Travel Order webpage.

For further information, please contact the Watertown Health Department at 617-972-6446.

2 thoughts on “Health Department Shares Ways to Have Halloween During COVID-19

  1. Watertown could follow the same procedures every Halloween to try to stop the transmission of the flu, common colds, and just about every other communicable disease.

    We could make a permanent habit of masks, social distancing, gathering size limits, wiping down surfaces, scrubbing hands 30 times a day, plexiglass shields, sanitizer dispensers everywhere, more frequent clothes washing, gloves, grandma and grandpa lock themselves in, outdoor dining only, and of course no visits to loved ones in hospitals or nursing homes *no matter the circumstance*.

    Have people thought this through? No, they haven’t.

    I suppose we could limit all indoor gathering to prevent the transmission of just about everything, whether airborne or even through intimate contact.

    No more kissing or dating without a physical exam 24 hour beforehand? Who knows what you could catch?

    Is this how we want to live? I think it probably is from my own observations.

  2. The name Karen makes me think this was posted as a joke…or your name suits you perfectly.
    Of course it’s not the way anyone wants to live, but we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Please be safe and follow these guidelines, guys!

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