Here are some tricks for COVID-safer Halloween

Even with COVID-19 still active in our communities, a fun Halloween can be had with a little attention to mitigation steps we all know well by now.

Most importantly, whether you’re receiving or handing out candy this Halloween, stay home and away from others if you feel ill.

If you and your costumed kids are good to go, here are some tips to keep things safe:

Each trick-or-treater should wear a face mask in addition to any other mask they plan to wear;
As with any situation involving people you don’t live with, be sure to maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance from others;
Use hand sanitizer frequently; and
Avoid touching surfaces that others have touched. A costumed elbow can ring a doorbell, for example.

If you are facing boys and ghouls at your door:

Wear a mask;
Use tape to make lines that help trick-or-treaters maintain 6 feet of distance;
Wash or sanitize your hands often; and
Consider having individual bags or cups filled with goodies for kids to take, or make a game of softly tossing treats into trick-or-treat bags.

If you’d rather keep your kids at home, which is always the safest option, there are plenty of alternatives to trick-and-treating, such as having kids work on crafts or having a virtual costume contest with friends.

A lot has changed since last Halloween, starting with the availability of safe, free, and highly effective COVID-19 vaccines for those 12 and older. If your trick-or-treater is eligible but not vaccinated, please visit azhealth.gov/FindVaccine to locate a provider and roll up that costumed sleeve.

Soon, kids ages 5 to 11 will be eligible for vaccination as well. I hope that will make for an even more festive Halloween in 2022.

By Jessica Rigler|2021-10-26T13:20:56-07:00October 26th, 2021|Preparedness|Comments Off

About the Author: Jessica Rigler

Jessica Rigler, an Arizona native, began her public health career more than 15 years ago, serving in varied roles with local, state, federal, and international public health agencies. Jessica has been with the Arizona Department of Health Services for over 12 years, supporting evaluation activities with the state immunization program, serving as the state’s first Healthcare Associated Infections Coordinator, and leading the Bureau of Epidemiology and Disease Control. She is currently an Assistant Director overseeing the Division of Public Health Preparedness at ADHS, which spans the areas of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Emergency Medical Services, Public Health Statistics, Public Health Emergency Preparedness and the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory. In recent years, Jessica has worked with the ADHS team to lead critical public health responses including opioids and COVID-19. Jessica holds Bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and human development from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master’s degree in public health from Emory University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist and certified in infection control.