Vigo County Health Department Halloween Trick-or-Treat Recommendations
Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading COVID-19. The Vigo County Health Department wants to encourage those who participate in higher risk activities to do them as safely as possible. If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.
The following are recommendations to limit the spread of COVID-19:
- Have individually wrapped goodie bags lined up for grab and go while continuing to social distance; consider leaving goodie bags outside at the end of drive-way to limit contact with
trick-or-treaters - If you prepare goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing the bags
- Have events/parties outside
- Cars should be parked at least 10 feet apart for Trunk-or-Treat events
- Consider having a screening table to ensure groups of trick-or-treaters are spaced out
- Protective masks should be worn
- A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
- Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
- Consider only trick-or-treating at homes where you have already been in contact with those individuals
- If doing traditional trick-or-treating please limit time exposed to individuals. The longer you spend in close contact with individuals the greater the risk of COVID-19 exposure
- Consider having a scavenger hunt in or around your home with household members instead of traditional trick-or-treating
If an event will have more than 500 people in total attendance a written plan must be submitted to the Health Department 14 days prior to event.
