How to stay safe this Halloween

Contributing Authors:

Jennifer L Watts, MD, MPH – Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Halloween is a great time of year for many children. Like many other activities, Halloween will look different this year during the COVID-19 pandemic as we all work to keep our families and community safe. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe this spooky season.

General Halloween safety tips:

Young children should always walk with a trusted adult, especially after dark.
Cross at crosswalks, use sidewalks and use extra care when crossing streets.
Never enter a home or car for a treat.
Wear something bright to be sure you can be seen at night (reflective tape, flashlight, glowsticks, etc).
Avoid costumes with tripping hazards and sharp objects such as sticks, canes or swords.
Check treats for sealed packaging and remove any treats that may be choking hazards.

There are other great ways to celebrate Halloween that can be creative and still low risk of dangers including:

Save the pumpkin carving for parents or teens and plan on the little ones decorating pumpkins with markers.
Walking outside and viewing pumpkins and decorations at other houses from a safe distance.
Decorating inside and outside your living space.
Have a virtual Halloween costume contest.
Participate in a scavenger hunt for Halloween decorations or a costume parade where children can remain outside and physically distanced.

Higher-risk activities for being exposed to COVID-19 include parties and trick-or-treating. Here are things to consider to make these activities safer.

Move your party outdoors.
Limit the number of people.
Wear a cloth face covering (make it a Halloween spirited one!). Note: wearing a Halloween mask over a cloth face covering can block vision and can also cause difficulty breathing in some children and should not be done.
Keep physical distance, 6 feet if possible.
Avoid sharing beverages and food.
Wash your hands frequently.
Leave goodie bags for trick-or-treaters so they can pick them up.

Download this safety flyer to share with your friends and family.