The concern with Halloween is that kids are excited when they’re trick or treating. And then they may end up with groups of other children outside their household, and in these groups, they wouldn’t be able to social distance and that might increase the risk for transmission.
Is It Possible to Safely Trick-or-treat?
It’s possible, just going to be challenging to do that. Part of the excitement of Halloween is being in the community and a member of your community, and so, we’ll miss out on that.
So the lowest risk way to trick or treat would be to do it with only members of your household, your own family, and keep separate from other groups, and then, when you do visit other people’s houses to trick or treat, stay a distance, like an arm’s length, and then have brief interactions with them.
The brief interactions are going to be low risk for transmission
It’s the prolonged face-to-face contact that you want to avoid, and you want to avoid being crowded in large groups. Remember that this is primarily transmitted via the respiratory route. Now there’s a theoretical risk from contact, but that’s very low risk. So, don’t worry about touching candy and those kinds of issues.
Can a Halloween Mask Protect Kids from Covid-19?
You need a face covering to act as an effective barrier. The masks that are plastic and that have cutouts, those won’t work. You would have to wear a masked face-covering in addition to the costume mask.
What is a Safe Alternative to Trick-or-treating?
One thing to consider this year is to do it at home and you can do Halloween activities at home. Watch a classic Halloween movie with everybody and have nice Halloween foods to share. You could do a modified, like an Easter egg hunt, except for Halloween and hide candy in the backyard, and you can up your game by making it glow-in-the-dark treats that the kids can look for.
Please continue to wash your hands frequently and make sure that your children do as well. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. And eat pumpkins! Pumpkins contain antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals, stopping them from damaging your cells.
Happy and healthy Halloween
from our Century Medical, PC in Peabody, MA!
For any information please call us at (978) 594-8980 or contact online.
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