DPH publishes Halloween tips amid COVID-19 pandemic

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Wednesday a series of safety tips for those people and families celebrating Halloween this year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines are consistent with those issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DPH said.

Those tips are as follows:

• Celebrate Halloween outside instead of going to indoor events
• Put candy on a platter instead of in a bowl
• Try one-way trick-or-treating instead of traditional trick-or-treating. Place treats outside of the home for trick-or-treaters to “grab and go” while keeping their distance from other people
• Put hand sanitizer out by any treats for trick-or-treaters to use
• Wear a face mask or face covering. Be aware that a mask for a costume is not a proper substitute for a face mask or face covering and should not be worn in place of a face mask or face covering
• For more information on face masks and face coverings, visit the state’s Mask Up MA! website
• Practice good hand hygiene, including washing your hands and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol
• Use hand sanitizer often, especially after coming into contact with frequently touched surfaces and before eating candy
• Don’t touch 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 instead of in-person ones
• Celebrate with your household by having a Halloween-themed meal, a Halloween movie night, or by preparing a Halloween scavenger hunt
• Maintain social distancing of at least six feet from all other people who are not members of your household

If you have or are any of the following, DPH urges you to stay home and not partake in Halloween activities this year, including handing out candy:

• If you feel unwell
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19
• If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19
• If you have traveled to or from a state that is not considered ‘lower-risk’ within the last 14 days. You can find out which states are considered ‘lower-risk’ by clicking here

For those that do not fall into any of the above categories, DPH has listed a series of activities it says you should avoid if you choose to participate in any Halloween activities:

• Any indoor or outdoor gatherings that exceed attendance limits, including crowded indoor costume parties
• Indoor haunted houses, especially those where people are likely to be crowded together and screaming
• Hayrides and/or tractor rides with people who do not live in your household

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