October 21, 2020 – HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital is offering alternatives to trick-or-treating during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed traditional trick-or-treating as “high risk” for COVID-19 exposure. HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Jennings says it’s important to remember the pandemic is still in place. “As the holidays approach, it’s easy to let our guards down, but it is still critically important to be physically distant, wear face coverings and stick close to home to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 and the flu, which is also ramping up now,” he says.
With Halloween likely looking different this year, based on each community’s restrictions, HSHS is offering ideas for ways to keep the holiday special.
• Create a scavenger hunt around your backyard using flashlights to find hidden candy and other goodies.
• Decorate an area in your house, turn on scary music, wear costumes and record a Halloween family greeting to share on social media or via text to friends and family.
• Have a movie night watching some of mom or dad’s favorite Halloween classics; maybe “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”.
• Play yard games like ladder golf, croquet, and cornhole under the light of solar lights and this year’s full moon.
• Host a virtual Halloween party to show off your costume and play virtual games.
Jennings says contact-less trick-or-treating is possible if allowed in your area, by creating individual treat bags and leaving them on a table on your front walkways, sidewalks, or any outdoor space that allows for at least 6 feet of social distance from the door.
