Don’t let Halloween haunt you this year; use these trick-or-treating safety tips to prevent coronavirus spread

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Halloween is spooky and scary for more than the usual reasons this year. Trick-or-treating is a high risk situation when it comes to the threat of COVID-19, the CDC says.

However, Oct. 31 is just around the corner. Don’t lace on the trick-or-treating costumes just yet. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind before you hit the trail. A Baton Rouge area pediatrician explains the best ways to keep Halloween from haunting you during the pandemic.

“Halloween’s not canceled,” said Our Lady of the Lake pediatrician, Dr. Melissa Holland.

She says don’t forget your basic coronavirus preventive measures even on the trick-or-treating trails.

“The State of Louisiana is still under a mask mandate,” said the physician. “So yes, children and the adults who accompany them need to be wearing a mask.”

Costume masks are not enough to prevent the spread of the virus though. You need to wear your CDC recommended face masks. You should do the same if you plan to pass out candy on your doorstep too. You may want to rethink how you hand out the goods as well.

“You can also consider doing prepackaged bags and then having them laid out for kids, or you can use tongs and also give them the bags that way,” said Dr. Holland.

Now, the trick is to keep your kids from eating treats on the walk. Dr. Holland recommends you wait until you get home to wipe down the candy packages before your kids dive into their stash.

“Make sure kids are eating a good hearty dinner before they go on the trail so they are full," she said.

And don’t linger too long at the candy bowls. Remember to keep a safe social distance.

“Refrain from clustering on doorsteps on your trail and also, use hand sanitizer in between houses,” the doctor said.

If trick-or-treating isn’t an option for your family this year, Dr. Holland says get creative and invite over a few friends in costume for outdoor activities.

“You could do a spooky scavenger hunt in your own yard and house with treats," she said.

On Halloween Day, if you experience any COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive in the last few days, it’s best to sit out this year’s festivities.

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