Connecticut DPH Offers Halloween Guidance for Trick or Treating Safety During COVID

Connecticut Department of Public Health issues Halloween guidance to ensure trick-or-treaters have a safe and healthy holiday

The Connecticut Department of Public Health today released a document providing guidance to the state’s residents in order to ensure that traditional Halloween activities can be celebrated while being done in a safe and healthy manner amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Lamont stressed that while the state is not enacting any new rules that are specific to Halloween, he is strongly encouraging Connecticut residents who are planning to participate in traditional holiday activities to review the guidance and take the advised precautions seriously in order to limit further spread of the virus.

Trick or Treating Recommendations

  • Traditional trick-or-treating is a high risk activity. Instead, the CDC and CT DPH recommends participating in one-way trick-or-treating where goodie bags or a large bowl of candy are placed outside of your home for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance.
  • If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags.
  • For people who choose to hand out candy:
  • Before you answer the door, make sure your face covering is in place over your nose and mouth, wash or sanitize your hands before answering door.
  • Remain six feet from the Trick-or-Treater.
  • Place the candy inside the child’s bag for them instead of having them take it from the bowl themselves.
  • Homes providing candy may set up hand sanitizer stations outside or parents/guardians can pack a travel bottle of their own.
  • Parents/guardians should limit the number of homes their children visit.
  • It is not recommended to trick-or-treat with people outside of your household.
  • Remain six feet away from people outside your household at all times.
  • All trick-or-treating participants should wear a mask or face covering while outside at all times.
  • A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth or surgical mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and does not leave gaps around the face.
  • Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth or surgical mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
  • Do not wear a costume rubber mask over another face covering of any kind.

To read the guidance for how to safely celebrate Halloween activities this year, click here.

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Submitted by Newtown, CT

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