CDC: Trick-or-treating this Halloween is ‘high-risk’

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)—With Halloween just around the corner, you may be wondering whether to take the kids trick-or-treating this year. If you’re concerned about the spread of COVID-19, you may not want to risk it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines designed to help parents navigate holiday celebrations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Traditional trick-or-treating is considered high-risk, while other activities such as carving pumpkins, are said to be safer alternatives.

Those who may have COVID-19 or were exposed to someone with the virus should not participate in in-person Halloween or give out candy to trick-or-treaters, according to the CDC.

The guidance includes a list ranking low, moderate or high-risk activities:

Lower risk activities

Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household or outside at a safe distance with neighbors or friends
Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
Halloween scavenger hunts in or around your home
Virtual costume contests
Halloween movie night with members of your household

Moderate risk activities

One-way trick-or-treating, where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go at a safe distance
Having a small, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are at a safe distance and wearing masks
Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest, wearing masks
Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer
Outdoor Halloween movie night where people are at a safe distance