City officials are asking Salisbury residents to stay safe during Halloween celebrations amid the coronavirus pandemic
SALISBURY, Md. — With Halloween quickly approaching, the city of Salisbury is asking its residents to keep the following guidelines in mind for a safe Halloween celebration, in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
The CDC has divided common Halloween activities into three safety levels: low-risk activities, moderate risk activities, and high-risk activities.
Lower risk activities include:
- Carving and decorating pumpkins with members of your household or carving and decorating pumpkins outside at a safe distance with neighbors or friends
- Having a Halloween movie night with members of your household
- A Halloween scavenger hunt throughout your household for candy
- Participating in a virtual costume contest
- Baking and decorating Halloween treats with members of your household
- Team up as a neighborhood to create a safe, drive-thru haunted house
- Contactless drive-thru trick or treating events
Moderate risk activities include:
- One-way trick or treating in which goodie bags full of treats are placed at the edge of yards/driveways for no-contact grab and go
- Visiting outdoor pumpkin patches or corn mazes where it is possible to stay 6 feet away from other patrons
- Attending a Halloween-themed outdoor movie night
High-risk activities include:
- Door-to-door Trick or Treating
- Trunk or treat events in which candy is handed out to individuals
- Attending crowded costume parties, especially indoors
- Visiting crowded, indoor haunted houses
- Hayrides and tractor rides with people who are not members of your household
In a statement, City Administrator Julia Glanz, shared that, “As we get closer to Halloween, and the holiday season in general, the City wants to emphasize how important it is that we all take the proper precautions to keep ourselves and others safe.” She adds, “Celebrations of all kinds this year are going to look very different than in years past and it’s up to community members to responsibly assess risk factors and control the spread of COVID-19.”
City officials add that masks and face coverings should be worn at all times while trick or treating. Halloween-goers should also try to stay at least six feet away from other people and trick or treaters not from your household. They also want to point out that Halloween masks do not constitute as a face covering. The city also suggests trick or treaters bring and use hand sanitizer frequently, and consider letting all candy sit for 72 hours to prevent interaction with active germs.
The city warns that families still planning to still go trick or treating are recommended to use glow sticks or flashing pins to alert drivers of their whereabouts, attempt to stay on the sidewalk, use a flashlight, only cross the road at designated crosswalks, walk-in groups or with an adult, and never enter strangers’ homes.
We’re told there will be heightened police and fire presence throughout the City on Halloween evening to ensure the safety of the community, especially that of pedestrians walking in dimly lit areas near the road.
