ATHABASCA – Halloween might be more frightening than ever this year, considering the viral pandemic enveloping the globe, but there are numerous ways to keep Oct. 31 safe, fun and hygienic for all those collecting, and all those handing out the treats.
There will be no large parties at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex this year, or anywhere for that matter, but Halloween is far from cancelled.
How the annual spectacle is going to be handled this year amidst the coronavirus pandemic is a question Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has been fielding for months now, and with the date approaching at the end of this week, her words and advice are probably worth repeating.
“I have no plans to suggest that Alberta cancel Halloween. My own children would never forgive me,” Hinshaw said during an Oct. 2 public health update. “In many ways, I believe it is actually safer to celebrate than other holidays. Most Halloween activities take place outdoors and largely within one family. However, we need to make it as safe as possible to celebrate this year.”
The goal all along has been to limit community transmission, she said, and to effectively do that she advises people trick-or-treat in their own communities and within their cohorts and families. Physical distancing of two metres still applies and costumes should be chosen to allow for a non-medical (and non-Halloween) mask to be worn.
Seekers of candy should also carry hand sanitizer, and use it regularly throughout the evening, and wait until they arrive home to touch or eat any of the treats until after washing their hands.
Those handing out the candy are asked not to distribute homemade goods and to use pre-packaged candy instead. And find ways to be creative about it — use tongs, or a slide, or make a zip line to deliver from a distance. They should also be wearing a non-medical mask and find ways to encourage knocking and not touching the doorbell, or just keep a watchful eye for approaching trick-or-treaters and meeting them in the driveway or garage.
Avoid handling and of the treats and don’t leave self-serve bowls of bulk candy. Instead, make candy bundles or bags and space them out on a table or blanket for trick-or-treaters to choose from without touching all of them.
If you are indoors — in a school, or mall, or apartment building, for instance — use a table or desk to keep a safe distance from trick-or-treaters.
Small parties are not necessarily out of the question either, but the smaller the group is, whether kids or adults, the better off they’ll be, and even more so if the party is held outside to help maintain a healthy distance with better air circulation.
If you have no choice but to gather indoors, and two metres of distance between families and cohorts is strongly recommended. There should also be no sharing of drinks, snacks, cigarettes or cannabis, and hand sanitizer should be readily available, accessible and used often.
Bobbing for apples is definitely out of the question, but other games that do not require any sharing and where physical distancing is possible can still provide for a lot of fun for party-goers — arts and crafts stations can be set up, or, instead of face-painting, use temporary tattoos or stickers that guests can apply themselves.
The Government of Alberta has also posted many more ‘Non-tricky Tips for a Spooky Safe Halloween’ on its website, where it also offers digital copies of signage that can be printed off to indicate to would-be trick-or-treaters whether you are participating in the holiday this year, or going dark for the night.
“We are all in this together. If we all do our part and stay vigilant we can keep each other safe and limit the need for any future restrictions that could impact other elements of our health,” said Hinshaw.
Visit alberta.ca and search for Halloween for more information.
