Sept. 22 (UPI) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising against traditional trick-or-treating this year.
The CDC recommended people avoid having children go door to door for treats, calling it a higher risk activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency is also discouraging “trunk-or-treat” events, where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots; crowded costume parties held indoors; and visiting indoor haunted houses, where people may crowd together and scream.
Regarding Halloween masks, the CDC said not to use a costume mask in place of a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose without leaving gaps around the face. And it said not to wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because that could make it hard to breathe. As an alternative, the CDC recommended using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
The agency also identified some low-risk Halloween fun: carving or decorating pumpkins with members of the household and displaying them; and a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search within the household or around the home, rather than going from house to house.
