Greene County Public Health releases tips to stay safe trick-or-treating during COVID-19

With Halloween just around the corner, Greene County Public Health officials are offering tips to stay safe while trick-or-treating this year.

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Amid the spread of the delta variant, GCPH is reminding people that trick-or-treating traditionally means large groups of children and the potential for crowded moments.

GCPH officials released the following recommendations on staying safe this year:

• Stay outdoors. Neighbors should wear masks and stay outside their front door or at the end of their driveway or yard. Instead of having kids reach into a communal candy bowl, consider handing out individual bags to each child and set up a one-way route to avoid crowding.
• Wear a mask (and not just the costume kind). Even outdoors, this is recommended for unvaccinated kids. Keep in mind that most costume masks alone aren’t effective at stopping the spread of germs. So make sure your unvaccinated child wears at least a two-ply face mask, and check that they can breathe comfortably if they are also going to use a costume mask. A better way to go: a Halloween- themed two-ply face mask.
• Limit the group size. Keep your child’s trick-or-treating group to just siblings or a close friend or two.
• Limit the houses you visit. To limit unnecessary exposure to others, just go to a few homes on your street, or to visit just a few friends you know well.
• Social distance. Leave lots of space between any other trick-or-treaters.
• Take precautions while prepping goody bags. If you are the one preparing goody bags, wash your hands to soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after prepping bags.
• Practice good hand hygiene. Remember to have kids use hand sanitizer in between homes to further reduce risk.
• If any of your family members are feeling sick or think you may have been exposed to the coronavirus stay home

For more information, you can visit Greene County Public Health’s website.

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