Halloween health & safety tips

Because of COVID-19, there are a few extra tricks you need to keep in mind to stay safe and healthy this Halloween. Remember that even the spookiest of masks may not meet requirements for preventing the spread of germs. It is important to take extra precautions as we celebrate this year.

Here are some recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on trick-or-treating in 2020:

Bring hand sanitizer and use it often.
Everyone in your trick-or-treating party should wear a mask that covers their mouth, nose and chin. Children 2 years old and under and children with special needs are an exception.
Limit groups to three or four children preferably from the same household or “bubble.”
Avoid touching your face, mouth, nose and eyes.
Encourage children to only touch the candy or goodie bag that they take.
Wait until kids get home to inspect or eat candy.
Use hand sanitizer before opening goodie bags or candy. If you are worried, let all of the candy sit for two to three days to eliminate any lingering risk.
Make sure to brush and floss teeth before bedtime!

For those handing out candy:

Avoid having kids come to the door to try to maintain a 6-foot distance.
Set up an outdoor station where trick-or treaters can help themselves.
Consider a pre-packaged bag that they can grab as opposed to rooting around and touching multiple pieces of candy.
Decorate your yard to show your Halloween spirit.

If you are uncomfortable trick or treating and/or handing out candy, try one of these fun activities instead:

Start new Halloween traditions such as virtual costume parades with friends or family.
Celebrate the season with cooking, pumpkin-carving and outdoor activities like jumping into a pile of leaves.
Go to a pumpkin patch or corn maze, but avoid large groups and maintain social distancing.
Consider an in-home scavenger hunt where your children can find candy.
Consider a family game or movie night in costume.

View the CDC’s full recommendation here.

For more expert advice on the topic of kids and Halloween, you can check out the American Academy of Pediatrics here.

This information in this post is for general educational purposes only and does not warrant or represent any information as related to health as specifically appropriate for you. It is not intended to be medical advice or replace the relationship that you have with your health care providers. You should always seek medical advice on any diagnosis or treatment from a qualified health care provider. The information is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.

Eileen Crespo, MD

Dr. Eileen Crespo is the Vice President of Medical Services at Delta Dental of Minnesota. She is a practicing pediatrician of over 25 years. She graduated from Syracuse University with a BS in Biology and received her medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Co-Chapter Oral Health Advocate (COHA) of the Minnesota American Academy of Pediatrics, and a member of the Board of Directors of Children’s Dental Services, and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.