Although Royal Oak doesn't officially designate trick-or-treat times, this year we are asking residents to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for holiday celebrations, which can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween
According to the CDC, "Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that handling food or eating is associated with directly spreading COVID-19. It is possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object, including food, food packaging, or utensils that have the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way that the virus is spread. Remember, it is always important to follow good hygiene to reduce the risk of illness from common foodborne germs."
- The CDC recommends these lower risk activities as an alternative to traditional trick-or-treating:
- Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
- Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
- Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
- Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
- Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
- Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
- Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
Whatever you decide, wear a mask!
- Wear a mask at all times when around people who don’t live in your household to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
- Avoid singing, chanting, or shouting, especially when not wearing a mask and within 6 feet of others.
- Do not use a costume mask as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face.
- Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
Tips for homeowners from the Oakland County Health Division:
- Do not hand out candy if you are sick.
- Use duct tape to mark 6-foot lines in front of your home and leading to driveway/front door.
- Hand out candy in one of the following ways:
- - Leave individual bags of candy on the doorstep to limit contact with other people.
- - Distribute candy on a disinfected table positioned between you and trick-or-treaters.
- - Consider handing out candy in an open space (ex., on your driveway) where social distancing is easier.
More tips from the county can be found at https://www.oakgov.com/covid/best-practices/prepare/Documents/halloween-recommendations.pdf
Please be safe, Royal Oak! #happyhalloween #hallowen2020