Trick or treating ‘not recommended’ in Los Angeles because of COVID-19 pandemic

UPDATED on Sept. 10: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health now says: “door to door trick or treating is not recommended because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors.” It also doesn’t recommend: “’trunk or treating’ where children go from car to car instead of door to door to receive treats.”

Original story:

What’s scarier than Halloween? A global coronavirus pandemic, apparently.

New health guidelines posted by Los Angeles County ban door-to-door trick or treaters, haunted houses and some other traditional Halloween activities for 2020.

“Door to door trick or treating is not allowed because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors especially in neighborhoods that are popular with trick or treaters,” the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in an announcement this week.

So-called “trunk or treat” events in which kids visit parked cars to collect candy also are not allowed. Halloween parties, festivals, carnivals and haunted houses are out as well.

So what can you do for Halloween in Los Angeles?

Online events are fine, as are car parades and drive-through or drive-in events, the health agency says. Halloween movie nights also are allowed with proper social distancing, and Halloween decorations are fine.

The news was met with online reactions.

“Los Angeles, you have officially lost your f---ing mind,” wrote actress Justine Bateman on Twitter.

“Feel bad for the kids not being able to do their yearly trick or treating,” read another Twitter post.

“You know that the Apocalypse is coming when Los Angeles has CANCELED Halloween,” another Twitter comment read.

More than 27.6 million cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 898,000 deaths as of Sept. 9, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 6.3 million confirmed cases with more than 189,000 deaths.

This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 7:37 AM.