It’s the question on many children’s minds this October: Will there be a Halloween amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control has now released its guidelines on how residents can have a safe Halloween and enjoy their treats.
Avoid parties and indoor trick-or-treating as much as possible, so don’t go to a mall.
“Indoor spaces may require a non-medical mask or face covering,” the BCCDC said in a release.
“Don’t pass around snacks, drinks, smokes, tokes, and vapes.”
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If you are sick or self-isolating, don’t go out and turn off your porch light.
The BCCDC suggests trying to include a non-medical mask or face covering as part of your costume but don’t wear costume masks over non-medical masks as it may be difficult to breathe.
Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer often.
Avoid props that can cause coughing, such as smoke machines.
For those residents wanting to hand out candy, consider sitting outside so that people don’t have to touch a doorbell or a door. If you can’t, then clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly.
Use tongs or a baking sheet, or make a candy slide to give more space when handing out candy, according to the BCCDC, and only hand out individual, sealed, pre-packaged treats.
Also, wear a non-medical mask.
“Wash your hands before you go out, when you get home, and before eating treats,” the BCCDC said.
Keep hand sanitizer with you if you are eating treats on the go.
“You don’t need to clean every treat. You should instead wash your hands after handling treats and not touch your face.”
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