DENVER — Halloween night might look more frightening than normal this year as uncertainty swirls around what can and can’t be done safely amid COVID-19.
While some cities and states are recommending against trick-or-treating, the State of Colorado and the City of Denver announced last week that you can still enjoy trick-or-treating, as long as your tiny ghosts and goblins follow their guidance.
That includes only trick-or-treating with members of your household and staying six feet apart from other groups doing the same.
UCHealth’s director of infection prevention Dr. Michelle Barron says just like checking the weather on Halloween, we should be checking local COVID numbers, too.
“If you’re in a community where there’s high rates of COVID, then going out and about is probably not a good idea,” Barron said. “But, doing things outdoors is obviously going to be much safer than if you have lots of people crowded in a small area without a lot of ventilation.”
Some of Barron’s tips for trick-or-treating include:
- Have kids wear a face mask under their Halloween mask (obviously a great holiday for masks)
- Stay six feet apart from other groups
- Stay with your kids to ensure they’re wearing their masks
- Use hand sanitizer after handing out candy and receiving candy
- Put candy in individual piles or bags on front steps or on a blanket in the lawn
- Wash hands immediately when you get home
One Ohio dad went viral for creating a 6-foot candy chute for touch-free trick-or-treating.
Local parents are torn on the issue, but seem to agree that something must happen to celebrate the spooky and treat-filled holiday. children have been through a lot this year.
Brandon Rohn, a father, said kids need to be kids. His neighborhood reached a consensus and decided they will trick-or-treat.
Mother Jenni Bauman said children have been through a lot this year.
The owner of the Wizard’s Chest costume shop in Denver, Kevin Pohle, said the shop has tried to minimize how much customers are touching items in the store.
The Wizard’s Chest has eliminated the costume racks this year, and put everything back in bags.
“We’ve tried to boutique areas by theme,” Pohle said.
He says parents have options — whether that’s small, private gatherings or mindful trick-or-treating.
“Individually wrapped bags of candy,” Pohle offered as an example. “There are still ways it can be done safely.”
And if you’re still not comfortable with trick-or-treating, there are other things to do.
“Halloween is not canceled here at Denver Zoo,” said Denver Zoo spokesman Jake Kubie'. “We’ve taken our 80 acres and tried to make it as fun and festive as we possibly can."
Boo at the Zoo is now spread out over every weekend running through the end of October, and kids are welcome to dress-up.
“In the past, we have asked people not to wear masks,” Kubie’ said. “This year, we want you to wear one. Some masks that come with costumes actually will suffice as a face-covering.”
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