While celebrations this year look different, that doesn’t mean they have to be cancelled altogether.
B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says she has recently been fielding questions from adults and children alike about whether they can still proceed with Halloween festivities this year.
“I think we can rescue Halloween this year,” Henry said at a closed media briefing in answer to a reporter’s question on the subject.
She believes the same types of innovative approaches that were taken to ensure graduation ceremonies could go on safely are in the cards for October 31, 2020.
At a live briefing, Henry was again asked the question of how British Columbians can go trick-or-treating or host celebrations for Halloween this year.
Her response was to let people know that guidance on Halloween from public health officials is on the way, but for now, there are a few simple things people can plan to do.
As with any event during the public, Henry urges people to limit any gatherings to small groups, among pre-established bubbles of people.
Instead of having trick-or-treaters come up to houses, neighbourhood residents can organize to have treats on display at the end of their driveways.
In addition, rather than having children rummage through a bag, box, or plastic pumpkin full of candy to pick one, people can have individual pre-packaged treats on display for trick-or-treaters to select.
As temperatures start to cool and pumpkin spice lattes come back to cafĂ© menus, it’s not surprising that fall and winter celebrations are on people’s minds.
Rest assured, Halloween has not been cancelled due to COVID-19.
