DETROIT (WXYZ) — Another annual tradition is being impacted by the pandemic. Halloween activities like treat-or-treating are not the same as years past.
“We are starting to see what looks like the early phases of a second wave of COVID across this country,” said Mayor Mike Duggan as he started his press conference with the grim reminder.
We are still in the middle of a global pandemic, so it's no surprise that Halloween is not going to be celebrated the same way it has been every year before.
With the help of Detroit’s Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair, the city laid out some guidelines to help people plan for the holiday. They ranked activities by low, moderate and high risk.
Low-risk ideas include outdoor activities, like a scavenger hunt or pumpkin carving. Moderate-risk activities like grab-and-go candy on a sanitized table outside or outdoor costume parades were suggested.
Most high-risk activities are the traditional trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating.
If you do participate in high-risk activities, the city says to stay home if your feeling sick, practice social distancing, don’t grab in a candy bowl and wear a face mask. A Halloween costume/mask is not enough, but officials say do not wear a face covering under a mask because it could leave to difficulty in breathing.
When you get home, wash your hands and wait 24 hours before diving into the candy.
The city also announced there will be 19 drive-up candy stations at police precincts and fire houses as a safe alternative.
All of this information can be found on www.DetroitMI.gov/Halloween. It’s a handy website especially since the information could change.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
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View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
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