Many Bergen County parents are struggling to figure out what Halloween will look like this year with the ongoing threat of COVID-19 presenting health and safety concerns for all.
While we all want to participate in Halloween fun and not disappoint the kids, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has made it clear that many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses.
The CDC is recommending that families avoid the following higher risk activities during the Halloween 2020 season to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
- Avoid participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
- Avoid having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
- Avoid attending crowded costume parties held indoors
- Avoid going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
- Avoid going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Avoid using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
- Avoid traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19
On October 5th, New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy announced Halloween 2020 is ON in New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Health has also released the following guidelines for local families, officials, schools, and outside organizations and businesses to help ensure a safe Halloween for our communities:
1. Outdoor Door to Door Trick or Treating
a. Those who plan to trick-or-treat should limit their groups to current household
members, consider staying local, and limit the number of houses on their route. Social
distancing should be practiced between all who are not in the same household.
b. For those putting out treats:
i. Good option: Limit interaction or contact with trick-or-treaters, wear a mask
when individuals come to the door, and regularly wash hands.
ii. Better option: Leave a treat bowl on a porch or table or in a place where it may
be easily accessed while adhering to social distancing requirements.
iii. Best option: Arrange individually packaged candy so that trick or treaters can
grab and go without accessing a shared bowl.
c. Consider coordinating with neighbors to develop a system, such as signs or on/off porch
lights, for distinguishing houses participating in trick-or-treating from those that do not
wish to participate.
d. Wear a face mask to mitigate against COVID-19 exposure. Costume masks are not an
acceptable substitute but can be supplemented with a cloth or disposable mask.
Children under two should not wear a cloth mask.
e. Candy should be commercially packaged and non-perishable. Consider individual nonfood “treats” to avoid sharing of food.
f. Practice hand hygiene (wash hands or use hand sanitizer) before leaving your home,
after touching objects such as wrapped candy, and when arriving home.
2. Outdoor Trunk or Treating (when children go car to car instead of house to house)
a. Limit the number of participating cars to ensure adequate space for social distancing
and minimize crowds. Ensure outdoor area has sufficient space per car to avoid
overcrowding and to allow adequate space for social distancing.
b. Follow the outdoor gatherings limitations in effect at the time.
c. Design event in a long line, rather than a circle to ensure social and physical distancing
to discourage crowding.
d. Consider having assigned times or multiple shifts to minimize crowding during event.
e. Wear a face mask. Costume masks are not an acceptable substitute but can be
supplemented with a cloth or disposable mask. Children under two should not wear a
cloth mask.
f. Candy should be commercially packaged and non-perishable.
g. Practice hand hygiene before the event, after touching objects such as wrapped candy,
and after the event.
3. Halloween Parties
a. Avoid large indoor or outdoor parties, which would be subject to the limitations
currently in effect on indoor and outdoor gatherings.
b. Keep up to date with the most current restrictions on outdoor and indoor gatherings.
c. Avoid participation in activities that require close contact and/or shared items such as
bobbing for apples
4. Haunted houses, hayrides, and corn mazes
a. Wear a cloth or disposable mask while participating in these activities. As noted above, a
costume mask does not suffice.
b. Indoor haunted houses should be avoided because of the possibility of congregation and
screaming in close quarters. If hosting a haunted house, ensure visitors maintain an
appropriate distance by staggering start times and limiting occupancy. A better option
would be to host an outdoor haunted house without live performers.
c. Hayrides should limit the number of passengers per ride and keep openings to the same
party. Any shared materials should be cleaned and sanitized after each use.
d. Corn mazes should only permit individuals to proceed in one direction, should limit
occupancy according to the applicable restrictions in effect at the time, and should
avoid use of shared materials.
e. Entities hosting these events are encouraged to take reservations and/or sell tickets in
advance.
5. Examples of socially distant Halloween activities that would require minimal or no additional health and safety protocols include:
a. Virtual activities such as online costume parties.
b. Drive through events where individuals remain in their vehicles and drive through an
area/neighborhood with Halloween displays.
c. Carving pumpkins with family.
d. Dressing up homes and yards with Halloween themed decorations.
e. Halloween themed movie nights with family.
Mybergen.com will provide updates or changes in direction from the Department of Health or Governor Murphy regarding Halloween 2020 as they’re announced.
COVID Map Details Risk Levels by Region
The Halloween and Costume Association recently announced new tools and resources to help families this Halloween season, including a color-coded COVID risk level map – provided by the Harvard Global Health Institute – that details COVID risk level by county, across the country, as well as new Halloween Safety Guidelines for the 2020 season, in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) social distancing guidelines. These guidelines and map can be found on Halloween2020.org, with other features including social distancing suggestions and celebration alternatives, a Safe House Pledge and printable certificate informing your neighbors that you are adhering to Halloween Safe House best practices.
“We are on a mission to ensure the safest Halloween celebration possible this year and want to make sure families and communities have access to the best, up-to-date guidance that prioritizes community safety,” said Kevin Johnson, Halloween & Costume Association Chairman and Chief Excitement Officer at Elope. “The color-coded map developed by the Harvard Global Health Institute, along with our guidelines and additional website resources, can help ensure families find fun, yet safe ways to celebrate this season.”
As cities and counties across the country begin to announce guidance, these Halloween Safety Guidelines in alignment with the CDC’s social distancing guidelines, and the Harvard Global Health Institute map are designed to provide the answers, permission, and direction that Halloween enthusiasts and health experts alike have been anxious to receive.
Even with the extra precautions and adjustments needed to ensure a safe celebration, Halloween 2020 still promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not only does Halloween 2020 fall on a Saturday, it also happens to be a full moon and daylight savings time. In addition to all this mystical magic, Halloween will also occur during a blue moon this year, the second full moon of October! This ultra-rare quadfecta is the stuff silver screen stories are made of.
Safety should remain the #1 priority this year, with careful consideration of all COVID-19 precautions and best practices framing all plans for Halloween 2020.
Fun Ways to Safely Celebrate Halloween 2020 from halloween2020.org
Zoom Parties
- Hop on your Nextdoor App and help coordinate a neighborhood Zoom party complete with games, scary stories and a costume contest. Goodie bags and candy buckets can be dropped off on doorsteps in advance or porch pickups can be arranged from one location!
Netflix Party
- Netflix should be offering up some Halloween classics and fear filled favorites to choose from this Halloween. It’s the perfect time to check out their new free extension that lets you start, stop and pause a movie so you can watch it at the same time as a group of friends or family — remotely.
Porch Pics
- Commemorate this once in a Blue Moon Halloween with some epic porch pics! Grab your selfie-stick, gear up and get out there for some #halloweenporchpics. Don’t forget to show off your Halloween houses, pet costumes and favorite little monsters!
Candy Stations
- Unleash your imagination and let the kids run amok all through the house, both inside and out! Pull out all the stops with a variety of different candy stations, custom made with your little crew in mind!
Dress for Dinner
- Don’t just wear the costume… become the costume! Plan a Halloween feast for your family, with one simple rule… everyone must stay in costume AND in character for the entire meal. Give each participant some time to come up with an accent and a backstory before the night begins then the laughter and the memories will be endless!
Costume Tik Toks
- Inspiration abounds when it comes to making a like-worthy Tik Tok. Try the family costume challenge and flash from smallest to largest wearing the same costume! Don’t forget fido!
Scavenger Hunt House
- Find inspiration in Halloween movies, music and more! Create different theme rooms throughout the house and send the kids on a scavenger hunt for fun swag. Hide candy, toys and prizes or even make some gift certificates to stay up late, choose the movie or eat an extra piece of candy. Keep the big kids engaged by including QR codes and pic challenges!
Halloween Karaoke
- Whether you’re pulling off a tribute to Thriller or takin’ it back to the old school with some Monster Mash, a Halloween hit list for a night of Karaoke is sure to bring the house down. Up the ante with awards for the best impersonation, funniest choreography or the greatest overall showman!
Halloween Piñata
- Here’s a fun way for the kids to get candy without the spread of germs! Add some Halloween tunes and turn your evening into a family game night with the piñata as the grand finale!
Fun for Adults
- If you’ve never been to a murder mystery, here’s your chance to go all out with an online murder mystery party! Invite your family members to don a costume and join in on the fun. Design your own party or sign up for one online.
- Celebrate that extra daylight saving hour with a late-night creature feature! Pull an all-nighter and hand craft a must-see movie list of your top 3 fun shows… afterall, it’s Saturday! Just don’t forget the candy!
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
- UNICEF USA is launching a virtual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF platform and through the month of October, you can add purpose to Halloween by collecting lifesaving donations for UNICEF virtually. In honor of the 70th anniversary of this iconic American tradition, this year’s initiative will be comprised of digital, interactive, fun, and empowering experiences all while teaching children the importance of giving back and helping others. Sign up today at www.trickortreatforunicef.org
If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in any in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.
Have a safe and happy Halloween!
Pumpkin picking and hayrides in Bergen County!
