CDC Halloween guidelines discourage trick-or-treating during pandemic

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now officially discouraged trick-or-treating in 2020. The new holiday guidance appeared on the CDC website Monday night.

America’s health protection agency said, “many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses.”

High-risk Halloween activities, according to the CDC include the following:

• Door-to-door trick-or-treating
• Trunk-or-treat events with treats handed out to large groups from trunks of cars
• Indoor costume parties
• Indoor haunted houses
• Hayrides/tractor rides with people who are not in your household
• Going to a fall festival outside your community

But that doesn’t mean Halloween is canceled. You and your family can still participate in plenty of festive activities.

Below are some of the low-risk Halloween activities mentioned by the CDC:

• Carving/decorating pumpkins with your family
• Carving/decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors/friends
• Decorating your home for the season
• Halloween scavenger hunt where children find Halloween-themed things while walking outdoors from house-to-house
• Halloween movie night with your family
• Halloween scavenger hunt style trick-or-treat search, where your household searches around you home for treats

For more holiday suggestions, including medium-risk Halloween activities and risk evaluations for traditional Día de los Muertos celebrations, click here.

The CDC maintains that it’s vitally important for all Americans to enjoy the season responsibly. The agency also said its guidelines do not replace or superseded any local or state mandates.

COVID-19 is responsible for nearly 200,000 deaths since the virus arrived in the USA in March. While top scientists are working on effective treatments and vaccines, the best way to keep you and your family safe is to practice social distancing, wear a mask, and wash your hands.

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