Communities set hours, but discourage traditional approach
Although area communities will be offering traditional trick-or-treating hours on Saturday, public health officials are advising those who participate to take some very non-traditional precautions.
Because trick or treating is considered a high-risk activity for spreading COVID-19, the Centers for Disease control has advised people to seek alternative ways to celebrate Halloween.
Nevertheless, local officials have acknowledged that despite discouraging the tradition many people will still want to participate and have designated hours for them to do so.
Here’s the schedule of Saturday’s trick-or-treating times by community:
- City and Town of Burlington, 6-8 p.m.
- Village of Rochester, 1-4 p.m.
- Town of Waterford, 5-7:30 p.m.
- Village of Waterford, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Village of Union Grove, 5-7 p.m.
- Village of Yorkville, 5-7 p.m.
- Village of Raymond, 4-7 p.m.
- Town of Dover, 6-8 p.m.
- Town of Norway/Wind Lake, 5-8 p.m.
Families that choose to hand out treats are asked to turn on their porch lights to signal that they are participating.
“Not all families will feel comfortable participating in trick-or-treating this year,” City of Burlington officials said in a news release. “Participating in trick-or-treating is a personal choice for each family, and neighbors may choose differently from others based on their own comfort levels.
“All trick-or-treaters are encouraged to be respectful of their neighbors’ decisions to participate in trick-or-treating or not.”
The CDC has provided guidelines for both children collecting treats and families handing them out.
The main points in the CDC guidelines are:
- Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters.
- Give out treats outdoors, if possible.
- Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take.
- Wash hands before handling treats.
- Wear a mask.
More specific CDC advice includes:
Wear a mask
- Make your cloth mask part of your costume.
- A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask.
- Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask. It can make breathing more difficult.
- Masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing.
Wash your hands
- Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it after touching objects or other people.
- Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Parents: supervise young children using hand sanitizer.
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you get home and before you eat any treats.
Keep your distance
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you.
- Indoors and outdoors, you are more likely to get or spread COVID-19 when you are in close contact with others for a long time.
Additional guidelines provided by the City of Burlington include:
- Stay home if you are sick. Do not hand out treats or trick-or-treat if you are sick.
- Only trick-or-treat with people you live with. Going with people you don’t live with can expose you to COVID-19.
- Trick-or-treat in your neighborhood. Staying close to home may reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading out more broadly.
- Candy should be handed out by one individual who should be masked and gloved. Children should not be allowed to grab candy out of a bowl.
Residents with questions specific to their community are advised to call their municipal office.
-
-
-
-
-