As Halloween approaches, local officials are encouraging families to make smart decisions and celebrate safely.
Union County Health Department Public Information Officer Jennifer Thrush said the choice to participate in festivities like trick-or-treat will be different for each family.
She empowered parents to choose whether their family will participate in trick-or-treating, but encouraged them to use “good decision making metrics.”
However, she said any person who has COVID-19 or whose child is positive, or is awaiting test results because they think they may have been exposed needs to stay home. They should not go trick-or-treating, hand out candy or go to a Halloween party.
Thrush said much of Halloween festivities revolve around bringing joy to children. During the pandemic, she said it is important to consider: “How can we capture that joy with less risk?”
Managing the risk of Halloween events is dependent on maintaining what Thrush called “pillars” of pandemic safety: social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing and staying home when sick.
She said those handing out candy or going trick-or-treating should aim to meet each of those four goals.
Those handing out candy should focus on staying six feet away from children.
Thrush suggested putting candy in individual treat bags and sitting them on a table at the end of their driveway. Then, residents can sit on their front porch or stoop and wave to children trick-or-treating.
“Get that connection with the community but keep the six-foot distance,” she said.
She also encouraged residents to wash their hands thoroughly before putting the treat bags together.
Thrush said health department staff is discouraging people from using a communal treat bowl for two reasons.
First, she said it encourages children to put their hands in the same place and share germs. Beyond that, it can make it difficult to control the flow of traffic because trick-or-treaters can’t as easily grab candy and go.
She said those trick-or-treating should follow similar guidelines.
She encouraged trick-or-treaters to stay with their family group rather than groups of friends, and to distance from other families.
Additionally, Thrush said a Halloween costume doesn’t replace a cloth mask, so those should still be worn. She said they can be decorated to match a costume so children still get to wear their “fun clothes.”
Thrush said parents should talk with their children before they leave the house about what to expect this year and how to stay safe.
As the mother of two young children, she said she reminds them to “give a little space to our friends,” so they aren’t tempted to hug one another or spend time close together.
She said her children will still dress up and wear costumes, but they will likely only visit a few homes with treat bags. Thrush said they plan to trick-or-treat later in the evening in hopes large crowds will have dissipated by that point.
She said parents can also connect on social media to share homes practicing COVID safety where children can gather candy.
Ultimately, as a parent she said she is aiming to create memories with her family while managing the risk her children are exposed to.
She said she considers the pandemic pillars while trying to answer: “What would bring the fun alive for my kiddos?”
Parents should consider this question thoughtfully, Thrush said, while also keeping in mind the risk to others.
She noted that trick-or-treating is an activity that comes with the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Although it is outside, she said being outdoors only reduces transmission and does not completely mitigate it. Halloween is an event that usually includes groups congregating for long periods, which results in a greater spread, she said.
Thrush said families should specifically think about who their children will interact with that may be in a high-risk group.
For instance, if they will visit with grandparents soon after trick-or-treating, they should be especially careful. Parents should also be cautious, as they could bring any illness to their workplace.
“What we do one night will follow us for a 14-day period,” Thrush said.
Each local municipality will host trick-or-treat on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, although times vary.
Marysville, Jerome Township, Milford Center and North Lewisburg will trick-or-treat from 6-8 p.m. Plain City children will gather candy from 3-5 p.m. and Richwood will follow from 5-7 p.m.