Local health official recommends skipping some festivities for Halloween
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) strongly recommended that alternative Halloween activities, instead of the traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating, be increased as much as possible.
“Due to the continuance of the pandemic, the City will not be sponsoring any Halloween events,” said Kinston Police Chief Tim Dilday. “Your police department will continue patrols and pay extra attention to kids and parents who choose to participate in traditional Halloween trick or treating within the community.”
Lenoir County Health Director Pam Brown shared her thoughts on what area families can do to keep their family safe this Halloween.
“This Halloween will have to be different to keep everyone safe, but that doesn't mean that it has to be boring or that you have to give up all of your traditions,” said Brown. “Individuals and families should skip festivities where many people are gathered and children should not go door to door collecting candy from shared bowls.”
Using the NCDHHS guidelines for Halloween that lists activities by their risk, parents who are concerned about the risk of COVID can follow the suggested ideas in the lower risk category including carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them, having a virtual Halloween costume contest, or having a Halloween movie night with people you live with.
“Since everyone needs to be extra creative this year, you and your family might find a new tradition that lives on even after COVID precautions are no longer needed,” said Brown.
Moderate risk activities including having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than six feet apart, attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than six feet apart, and having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least six feet apart.
“A Halloween costume mask is not considered a protective mask, and children should not wear both a protective mask and a Halloween decorative mask at the same time,” said Brown.
High-risk activities recommended being avoided by NCDHHS include participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door or children take candy from shared bucket, having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots, and attending crowded costume parties held indoors.
