County Offers Guidance to Keep Halloween Safe

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 12, 2021

As Halloween approaches, Montgomery County health officials are offering advice on how to decrease risks associated with celebrating the holiday while the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

“We want kids to enjoy Halloween, but we want to be sure they are celebrating safely,” said Dr. James Bridgers, acting health officer.  “We have to remember that for many children trick-or-treating, vaccination is not yet an option and we want them to be protected as much as possible.” 

Health officials recommend the following for a fun and safe Halloween:

• Masks are recommended for unvaccinated children trick or treating outdoors whenever social distancing is not possible;
• Stay on the move while trick-or-treating—less congregating means more houses and more treats;
• Keep trick-or-treating groups small;
• Eat your treats at home, and/or after washing or sanitizing your hands;
• If you are handing out candy, please wear a mask while interacting with children and socially distance. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before handing out candy;
• Leave a light on or hang a Halloween sign in your window to let others know your house is participating in safe trick-or-treating;
• Outdoor activities are much safer than indoor activities;
• For indoor activities in public settings, masks are required for anyone age two and older; and
• Do not hand out candy or take part in Halloween events if you are having COVID-19 symptoms, even if you have been fully vaccinated.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 website as well as the County’s Data Dashboard or follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCountyMD. 

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Release ID: 21-819
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 240-777-6507
Categories: Health, Public Safety