Tuesday, October 27, 2020 - Mayor Martin J.
Walsh and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) today released guidance on
celebrating Halloween safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, urging residents who
choose to celebrate Halloween to take extra precautions to keep themselves and
others safe. Health officials have advised that many traditional activities,
such as trick-or-treating, costume parties or crowded, confined spaces like haunted
houses, raise the risk of spreading viruses.
"Halloween is one of the best nights, and
what's most important this year is that any person participating in activities
does so in a way that is safe for not only themselves, but also their neighbors
and community," said Mayor Walsh. "We're asking people to take the
extra precautions that are necessary this year, including avoiding direct
contact with trick-or-treaters, wearing masks at all times, washing hands
before eating any treats, and avoiding attending or hosting
gatherings."
Tips for safe
trick-or-treating:
Trick-or-treat
only with immediate family members.
Avoid direct
contact with individuals passing out candy.
Wash hands
before handling treats.
Wear a mask.
A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask.
Stay at
least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you.
Bring hand
sanitizer with you and use it after touching objects or other people.
Tips to safely prepare
for trick-or-treaters:
Avoid direct
contact with trick-or-treaters.
Wash hands
before handling treats.
Set up a
station outdoors with individually wrapped goodie bags for
trick-or-treaters.
Wear a mask.
A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask.
Stay at
least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you.
BPHC health officials encourage families to find
safer, alternative or virtual ways to have fun this season. The safest
celebrations involve people from your household, are outdoors, allow for social
distancing and other safety measures. In addition, BPHC is urging adults not to
participate in gatherings or parties on Halloween.
Halloween activities
without risk:
Carving or
decorating pumpkins
Decorating
your home
A virtual
Halloween costume contest
A family
Halloween movie night
A
trick-or-treat scavenger hunt at home
A Halloween
neighborhood scavenger hunt from a distance
Halloween activities
with risk:
Traditional
trick-or-treating
Trunk-or-treat
events
Haunted
houses
Hayrides or
tractor rides
Fall
festivals
Halloween
parties or celebrations
Any Halloween activities should comply with
COVID-19 safety guidelines and participants should limit the risk of exposure
to COVID-19 by following these safety tips:
Wear a face
covering. A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth or paper mask. Do
not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it could make
it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
Stay at
least six feet apart.
Avoid large
parties or gatherings.
Avoid
crowded areas.
Wash your
hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating
candy.
Avoid
touching your face.
Keep in mind, if any Halloween activities may
lead to screaming, make sure everyone is wearing a face covering and staying
more than six feet apart. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of
spreading a respiratory virus.
If residents may have
COVID-19 or may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, stay home and do
not participate in in-person Halloween festivities. Residents who may have
COVID-19, who are not feeling well, or have been exposed to the virus should
not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.
As a reminder, any Halloween activities are
subject to the current
gathering size limits set by the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
Read more on the Halloween
activity guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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