With many parents wondering what Halloween will look like amid the coronavirus pandemic, health officials in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have released tips on how to stay safe while trick-or-treating.
The health department in both states urged anyone not feeling well to refrain from trick-or-treating and stay home. They also urged trick-or-treaters to wear masks and to carry hand sanitizer and use it often, and to follow guidelines around social gatherings.
Massachusetts health officials recommended that hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol be used, and to use it after touching frequently touched surfaces and before eating candy.
Massachusetts further recommended that people stay six-feet apart from people not from people not in their household. People should also refrain from trick-or-treating if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone who has; or have traveled to a state not classified as a lower-risk state.
New Hampshire officials also advise anyone handing out candy to wear a mask and that people should stay five feet away from those not in their household.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month issued new guidelines to help families stay safe during the this Halloween. The guidelines include a list ranking the relative risk level of certain traditions, like trick-or-treating and pumpkin-carving.
