At the moment, Halloween is still a go in Sault Ste. Marie.
While it is safest to stay home, if you choose to go door-to-door or hand out treats to the neighbourhood monsters, Algoma Public Health is reminding residents to celebrate in a COVID-safe way by following these tips.
For trick or treaters
- Stay home if you are feeling ill, even if you have mild symptoms, or if you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19
- Only go out with members of your household
- If you can, knock instead of pushing doorbells, or simply yell 'trick-or-treat!'
- Only trick or treat outside
- Wear a face covering. A costume mask is not a substitute for a face covering and should not be worn over a face covering as it may make it difficult to breathe.
- Consider pre-arranged stops/visits to family/friends
- Choose costumes that allow a non-medical mask to be worn underneath. Make sure you can see and breathe comfortably.
- Do not congregate or linger at doorsteps and remember to line up two metres apart if waiting. Avoid high-touch surfaces and objects
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly, or use hand sanitizer
- Do not travel outside your neighbourhood to trick-or-treat
- Wait until you're home and have washed your hands before consuming candy
For candy hander-outers
- Don't hand out candy if you are feeling ill, even if symptoms are minor
- Be more outside than inside. If you can, stand outside your door to hand out treats
- Print posters from APH to hang in your window or place on your door to let trick-or-treaters know if you're handing out treats
- Wear mask and consider using tongs or a grabber to hand out candy (or make a catapult or candy slide!)
- Always keep a healthy distance of two-metres from trick-or-treaters
- Use prepackaged treats (no homemade treats)
- Don't leave self-serve bowls or bulk candy outside
- Make candy bundles/bags and space them out on a table or blanket for trick-or-treaters to take.
High risk activities to avoid
- Avoid gatherings with people outside of your household. Given public health restrictions, private gatherings are now restricted to 10 indoors and 25 outdoors, with physical distancing being maintained
- Don't go to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming.
- Don't go on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household.
- Avoid alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviours.
- Skip the parties this year: gatherings, big or small, put people at higher risk of getting COVID-19
Not comfortable trick-or-treating, or not feeling well and want to play it safe?
SooToday has got you covered. Below are a list of ways you can still have fun and celebrate the spookiest night of the year:
- Take a virtual tour of Transylvania, Romania's most mysterious region
- Host your own virtual Halloween party or a virtual Murder Mystery party
- Make some popcorn and pop in a flick with your bubble (Beetlejuice, Goosebumps, Hocus Pocus, Casper, Sleepy Hollow, Ernest Scared Stupid, Nightmare Before Christmas, Addams Family, Ghostbusters, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Halloweentown, and The Haunted Mansion are some great classic options)
- Make a pillow fort, turn out the lights, and read or share your most bone-chilling ghost stories
- Partake in family game night
- Get the family competing in a scary scavenger hunt (Search for a witch hat, spider web, pumpkin, etc.) or organize a Halloween candy hunt with people living in their own household
- Carve pumpkins
- Make a spooky drink, dinner or dessert. (Or go for this fall classic!)
Whatever you decide to do, don't forget to send us your scariest (or cutest) Halloween photos.
