How to Celebrate Halloween Safely during COVID-19
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Kids looking forward to a traditional Halloween – filled with trick-or-treating, big costume parties and hayrides – may need to find alternative ways to celebrate this year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends families stay away from these typical seasonal activities this year due to the increased likelihood of catching COVID-19.
What does this mean for a beloved holiday? There are still plenty of fun, scary and engaging ways to celebrate Halloween while keeping your family safe – or safer – from infection, says Katie K. Lockwood, MD, an attending pediatrician at CHOP Primary Care, South Philadelphia and assistant professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
While Halloween is still weeks away, Dr. Lockwood recommends talking to your children NOW about what they enjoy most about the holiday: Is it the candy, the costumes, cackling with friends? Once you know what their primary motivators are, you can adapt your family's Halloween preparations to better meet their individual needs, while keeping them safe.
Before adjusting your family's holiday plans, you need to understand the CDC's recent recommendations for Halloween, then find out what rules – if any – your local municipality has put in place.
The CDC strongly encourages families to avoid participating in these high-risk activities this year:
"The CDC discourages activities where you can't remain physically distant," Dr. Lockwood says. "It's not as simple as banning certain activities; it's more a matter of determining your family's risk level and adapting your behaviors to meet that level."
Consider these factors when deciding which activities to participate in this year:
An important note about masks: Not all masks provide effective protection against COVID-19, and unfortunately, masks that come with costumes do not offer adequate protection. Remember that a protective face mask should have two layers of cloth that fit tightly and cover both your nose and mouth.
Also, do not layer masks (e.g. a protective face mask and Halloween mask) as this may affect breathing.
Halloween 2020 can still be great for your kids. Consider these low and moderate risk activities and cater your choices based on what your child or children love best about the holiday.
Does your kid love getting loads of different kinds of candy? Consider these alternatives to trick-or-treating:
Are costumes your favorite part of Halloween? Consider:
No matter how you choose to celebrate Halloween this year, remember to continue following COVID-19 guidelines: wear your face mask, wash hands frequently and remain physically distant from others. By following these three simple rules, we'll all be able to enjoy the holiday safely.
Katie K. Lockwood, MD, is an attending physician at CHOP Primary Care, South Philadelphia, Director of Behavioral Health Education in CHOP’s Pediatric Residency Program, and assistant professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
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Contributed by: Katie K. Lockwood, MD, MEd