CDC Labels Trick-Or-Treating ‘High Risk’ For Spreading COVID-19

It’s not too early to wonder whether Santa Claus will be able to slink down the chimney this Christmas and deliver toys to all the good boys and girls of the world.

But Halloween, at least, looks like a washout this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Monday that trick-or-treating is “higher risk” and advised Americans to avoid the activity to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Said the CDC — “Avoid these higher-risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:”

• Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
• Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
• Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
• Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
• Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
• Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
• Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19

Among the “lower risk activities”:

• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
• Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
• Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
• Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
• Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
• Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

The CDC also said Halloween costume masks should not be used in place of protective cloth masks. “Do not use a costume mask as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face,” the CDC said. “Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.”

While the CDC didn’t offer guidelines for Christmas, the agency did cover Thanksgiving, saying:“Avoid these higher-risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:”

• Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
• Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
• Attending crowded parades
• Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
• Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household