Halloween in Orange County is not canceled this year, but COVID-19 has made way for some drastic changes.
The California Department of Public Health recommends exercising alternatives for celebrating Halloween this Saturday, as it strongly believes that trick-or-treating shouldn’t be optional this year.
Trick-or-treating can cause a very high risk of spreading coronavirus. It’s very high risk because you face and brush hands with multiple strangers in one night. Even having candy outside of your home for people to grab and go can be a moderate risk.
With 152 new coronavirus cases recorded yesterday in Orange County, and Halloween being only three days away, it may be best to stay inside. Updated information can be found on the Orange County Health Care Agency’s social media accounts or website.
Even when faced with trick-or-treaters outside your door, the agency recommends avoiding direct contact when handing out candy. Health officials say that it is not necessary to sanitize Halloween candy, since there have been no reports of food packaging contaminated with COVID-19, however, it is still important to wash your hands before eating.
There are many options for celebrating this year’s holiday, whether if it’s at home alone, with family or virtually. These trick-or-treating alternatives will not leave you feeling left out of the Halloween spirit.
List of Trick-or-Treating alternatives:
– Eat all the Halloween candy by yourself
– Listen to a Halloween playlist
– Halloween hunt in your backyard or inside the house
– Cook a spooky-themed Halloween meal with friends and family
– Create a fun costume just from your closet
– Binge-watch scary movies or other Halloween movies
– Bake classic Halloween goodies
– Attend virtual events online
– Attend local drive-thru events
– Create Halloween arts and crafts with family and friends
– Decorate your home with a spooky Halloween theme
– Host a family and friends game night
You don’t even have to follow any of these suggestions. You can create your own unique alternatives using COVID-19 safety guidelines, and collaborate with the people who live in your household.
It’s especially important to follow guidelines if you do plan on leaving your home on Halloween this year. Wearing a mask and social distancing is vital and it will help prevent yourself and others at Halloween get-togethers from risking yourselves to the virus.
Though it is very much not recommended, if you are planning to go trick-or-treating, it is very important to follow similar rules. Wear a proper mask, not a plastic mask or a mask that is attached to the costume you are going to wear.
Halloween is not canceled this year. You can still celebrate the holiday with people in your household whether it’s with friends, family or even alone. Following some of the alternatives listed can still be a fun and different way of feeling the Halloween spirit, and of course, with low chances of exposing yourself or others to COVID-19.