How Do The Kids Handle Halloween? BCCDC Releases Guidelines

Vancouver/Fraser Valley – The next COVID-19 challenge is … dealing with Halloween.

With the pandemic on everyone’s minds and safety is paramount, the BC Centre for Disease Control released their guidelines.

It all comes down to common sense. Avoid the big parties for kids and adults.

In part from their website:

Trick-or-treating can be done safely by following these tips

1. Respect homes by staying away if the lights are out.
2. Keep to your local neighbourhood this year.
   • Avoid trick-or-treating in busy areas or indoors (in places like malls) since there may not be enough space to distance. Indoor spaces may require a non-medical mask or face covering.
3. Trick-or-treat in a small social group, stick to six people.
   • Leave space between you and other groups to reduce crowding on stairs and sidewalks.
4. Wash your hands before you go out, when you get home, and before eating treats.
   • Keep hand sanitizer with you if eating treats on the go.
   • You don’t need to clean every treat. You should instead wash your hands after handling treats and not touch your face.

Get creative handing out treats

1. Get creative!   
   • Use tongs, a baking sheet or make a candy slide to give more space when handing out candy.   
   • Plan to hand out individual treats instead of offering a shared bowl.   
   • Only hand out sealed, pre-packaged treats.
2. Wear a non-medical mask that covers your nose and mouth when handing out treats.   
3. Be more outside, than inside.   
   • If you can, stand outside your door to hand out treats. Then kids won’t need to touch the door or doorbell.   
   • If you’re unable to sit outside to hand out treats, clean and disinfect doorbells and knobs, handrails, and any other high touch surface often during the evening
4. If you are decorating, avoid props that can cause coughing, such as smoke machines.   
5. Stick to the treats – not tricks.