Trick-or-Treating this year may be different then what you’re used to, however you still need to stay safe. According to the CDC, there are “lower, moderate, and higher risk activities” to participate in this year.

For lower risk activities the CDC suggests doing things like decorating pumpkins with your family then displaying the pumpkins on your porch, or decorating pumpkins with your neighbors or friends outside at a safe distance. They also suggest things like decorating your house, having a virtual Halloween costume contest, and having a movie night with your family. “Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house,” is also another way to celebrate Halloween according to the CDC.

If you don’t feel like your celebrating enough, and want to do more for Halloween then the CDC suggest doing things like doing a “one-way trick-or-treating.” This way there are individually wrapped bags of candy or goodies that are being passed out. However, they suggest that you put them towards the end of your yard or at the edge of the road. If you are preparing the bags you should wash your hands for twenty seconds before and after you assemble them.  If you want to go to some type of haunted house they suggest walking through a forest and enforcing the proper use of a mask while staying six feet apart. If you want to visit a pumpkin patch/orchard, then they suggest to use hand sanitizer before gathering pumpkins or picking apples. They encourage that you wear a mask and maintain social distance.

The CDC  recommends avoiding these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Regular trick-or-treating, attending crowded costume parties, going to an indoor haunted house, going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who do not live in your household, and last but not least going to fall festivals that are not in your community if you live in an area with “community spread of COVID-19,” are all regular activities the CDC doesn’t recommend this Halloween.

Halloween is something many people look forward to every year, but this year some of these things may not be possible. Some of these ways make it safer for people to have fun on Halloween without spreading or receiving COVID as easily. Nonetheless, have a happy Halloween!

See all the guidelines for this year’s Halloween on the CDC website.