We have had many questions regarding Halloween activities for Mount Washington. In addition to the posted advice from the Commonwealth, here are some recommendations from your local Board of Health:
If you get Trick or Treaters, minimize person-to-person contact!
- A candy/treat bowl outside of your door is safer than handing it out in-person
- Check out the costumes from your window
- Encourage on-line face time for enjoying the costumes of the children
- If you simply MUST go traditional – NOT RECOMMENDED – masks and disposable gloves AND social distancing are recommended.
If you have children begging for Halloween fun, take an active and positive role:
- Plan in-house activities! Get creative! Pumpkin Carving with friends (via the internet), crawl-through tent constructions in the livingroom, spider-web doorways and spooky lighting … the list is as long as you wish to make it.
- There are many drive-through options for mazes, pumpkin patch activities, and town celebrations but communities are (appropriately) wary of having non-residents overwhelming the venues. Be sure to check them out before hand so that you don’t end up with a car full of disappointed gremlins/ghosts.
Remember that even private parties are subject to the Gathering Regulations.
Here are the recommendations from the Massachusetts Department of Health and the CDC
Residents and communities should follow the Halloween activity guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to understand alternative ways to participate in Halloween that may limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19. As a reminder, any Halloween activities are subject to the current gathering size limits as well as applicable sector-specific workplace safety standards.
General Standards
As a reminder, the following COVID-19 prevention and mitigation standards apply to all activities in Massachusetts, including Halloween activities. Residents should adhere to each of the following:
- Wear a face mask or face covering. For more information on face masks and face coverings, please see the state’s Mask Up MA
- Observe good hand hygiene, including hand washing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol. Carry hand sanitizer and use it often, especially after coming into contact with frequently touched surfaces and before eating candy.
- Refrain from touching your face.
- Stay home and refrain from Halloween activities, including handing out Halloween treats, if:
- you feel unwell;
- you have tested positive for COVID-19;
- you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19; or
- you have traveled to or from a state that is not classified as lower risk within the last 14 days. For more information on lower risk states, please see the state’s COVID-19 Travel Order
- Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet of physical distance from all other participants who are not members of the same household.