Oct 25, 2021 3 min read

Little ghosts, ghouls, witches and various other characters will be returning to the streets for trick-or-treating this Halloween season.

Since COVID-19 still exists, some extra precautions should be taken, but pediatricians are confident that the seasonal experience can be a safe one for children.

“I think the main thing is that you’re outdoors,” said Dr. Edward Foley, a pediatrician since 1976, who practices at the Cornerstone Care Community Health Center of Washington. “You ought to try and keep a safe distance from other people, which is easy to do outdoors. Plus, kids will, for the most part, have masks on.”

According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 65% of Americans intend to participate in parties or trick-or-treating this year. That’s up from just 58% in 2020 and comparable with 68% in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Hopefully, people in homes will be vaccinated against COVID,” Foley said. “People who are sick or who have tested positive should keep their porch lights off so kids don’t come to their door to stay away from the spread of germs.”

Foley also said it should be safe for kids to reach into bags or buckets or whatever container in which people are offering treats, but recommends a different approach.

“I don’t think it’s a really big issue,” Foley said. “COVID is basically spread through the air. I don’t think it’s a big hazard. People just want to try to keep their hands clean. It’s better to have the person handing out the candy put it in the kid’s bag than have it the other way around.”

Foley did say he expects there still to be hesitancy from some parents in having their children trick-or-treat due to COVID.

“I would think so,” he said. “Unfortunately in the Washington area, we’re having more of an upswing because of the delta variant. I’m hoping we’re going to reach our peak soon and get this settled down. I’d probably be concerned if it was an indoor thing. It’s less risky going trick-or-treating than having 20 kids going over to your house.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Dr. Ned Ketyer of Peters Township, a pediatrician at the Allegheny Health Network Pediatric Institute.

“Outdoor parties, parades and attractions are safer than indoor public events,” he said. “Rather than a haunted house, for example, families can consider a haunted forest or corn maze, or look for programs focused on safe ways to have fun offered by a park district, zoo or other outdoor venue.”

Recommendations from the AHN Pediatric Institute for a safe Halloween season include:

• Stick with outdoor trick-or-treating in small groups;
• Keep a safe distance from others who live outside your household;
• Avoid large groups of kids crowding together when treats are handed out;
• Wash hands before diving into candy;
• Wear face masks and observe safe social distancing, if attending indoor activities.

“At a high level, it’s important to emphasize that there’s an array of precautions and measures parents, guardians and neighbors can take to ensure our communities have a joy-filled and safe Halloween season,” Ketyer said.