Halloween Safety During COVID

How to Avoid a COVID Halloween From Spooking You Out 

You may be wondering how to play it safe this Halloween. With COVID-19 still lurking in Alberta, there are many people who likely have mixed emotions about what to do this year.  

Here are some fun tips to keep you safe during trick-or-treating or staying in and having a fun and spooky Halloween. 

Are you Keeping your Kids Inside?  Plan Some Fun Activities

While it depends on the area where you live and the cohort or bubble that you’re a part of, you may decide that your kids shouldn’t go door-to-door to collect candy this year. It’s a personal decision. Keep in mind that you can do a lot of exciting activities inside for Halloween to keep your kid’s spirits up. 

Parents will need to get more creative this year, but it can be fun to create a Halloween party atmosphere in your home. Put on some ghoulish dance tunes and get planning.

There are games galore to keep kids of any age entertained. Of course, the whole family dressing up in costumes is a good start.  
 
While it depends on the age of your kids, below is a quick guide to some at-home spooky fun.

• Egg hunt with a Halloween twist. Put on scary music and stimulate a haunted house while you search for painted eggs. 
• Organize a parade around the neighbourhood. Kids can wear their costumes but no need to pick up candy. Treat your sweet-toothed kid with some candy before you head outside. 
• Deliver Halloween goody bags to neighbours and friends. The bags can include crafts, favourite candies, etc. 
• Have a costume contest with your family or cohort only.  
• Create ghost and other scary inspired puzzle pieces for your younger kids to put back together. 
• Have a scary movie marathon. Pick age appropriate movies that will please your whole family. Alternate between a movie and a dance, then a movie for some exercise.  

Decorate your house, inside and out. Be mindful to turn off the outside lights if you’re not handing out candy. This way you can still enjoy a fun night without the doorbell ringing nonstop. 

If you decide your kids will go trick-or-treating or you’ll be handing out candy, take the necessary safety precautions.

6 Tips to Turn Trick-or-Treating into a Safe Night 

1. Quarantine the candy from the kids for 2 weeks. Although your kids may mistake you for Cruella De Vil, it will ease your mind. Buy some candy back-up for the kids that really want to dive into their loot. Do the old switcheroo when they’re not looking (especially effective for younger kids).
    
2. Sanitize after each trick-or-treat transaction and put a sign outside for people to knock instead of using the doorbell. 
    
3. Use a shoot or a tube to get candy to kids. In Calgary, many are buying the Hallotube, a fun and different way to give out candy safely. Hallotube is a device created by a Calgary student geared toward making trick-or-treating a bit safer during the pandemic. Hallotube is a 7-foot long cardboard tube to get candy to trick or treaters from a physical distance. See the demo here. 
    
4. This tip seems obvious but all the same: Wear a regular mask under your costume and Halloween mask, so there is less risk of transmission between the candy dropper and the eager costumer wearer. 
    
5. Stay at least 2 meters (6 feet) away from your neighbours when you go door-to-door. Be respectful of all people you encounter and follow the provincial safety precautions. (see link below).
    
6. Have fun and experience Halloween with a positive attitude. Enjoy the fact that you have the freedom to walk around your neighbourhood amid a pandemic.  

There are additional safety tips you can check out at the AHS website.