Trick-or-treating ‘strongly discouraged’ in California this Halloween

Trick-or-treating and Halloween parties are “strongly discouraged” in California this year because they present a high risk of spreading COVID-19, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced Tuesday.

Ghaly said it would be particularly difficult to trace infections for any outbreaks that happen related to trick-or-treating, which informed officials’ decision to discourage those activities.

The new California Halloween guidance, which also includes recommendations for safely celebrating Día de los Muertos, suggests that families find safer ways to celebrate. It suggests meeting up for a distanced outdoor meal with up to two other households, online costume contests and drive-in scary movies.

Some counties have already released their own guidance on Halloween activities. On September 22, Sacramento released guidelines describing how communities can safely trick-or-treat, including by having kids stay within their own neighborhood, using tongs to pass out candy and wearing masks at all times.

Counties with guidance that is less restrictive than the state will need to update their recommendations based on the state’s Tuesday announcement, Ghaly said.

“Counties can be more restrictive, but not less restrictive,” he said.

The state stopped short of banning trick or treating, and Ghaly said trick-or-treaters will not face enforcement.

“We don’t want to turn a celebration and time of joy into something that is difficult or contentious,” Ghaly said. “But we also recognize the need to provide a clear understanding about the risks and why we recommend strongly that we do Halloween differently than we have in the past.”

Ghaly said he hopes businesses, which are legally required to follow the state’s guidance, will heed the state’s warning and avoid having their own trick-or-treat events like they may have in the past.

The Halloween guidance comes on the heels of more general guidance for gatherings that California released late last week. Those ask Californians to keep gatherings with people from other households relatively small – just three households at a time. The state also asks people to stay six feet apart, to hold gatherings outside and to limit them to two hours.

This story was originally published October 13, 2020 at 12:27 PM.