Celebrate Halloween safely – and avoid a Covid horror show!

Halloween is just around the corner and although we all love a good scare, with case rates higher now than during last year’s lockdown, Cornwall Council’s Public Health team is urging caution.

Around 50% of cases are currently in under-18s, and in recent weeks Covid numbers have rocketed in schools across Cornwall.

So, as we make plans to celebrate Halloween with parties or trick-or-treating, it’s important we all keep doing our bit to stop the spread if we want to avoid a Covid horror show.

Dr Ruth Goldstein, Deputy Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said: “We want everyone celebrating Halloween to have a great time, but with all the parties and time spent together in groups there’s a much higher risk of the virus spreading. We’re also seeing much younger people being affected by Covid compared to last year.

“Halloween isn’t the only time of year to wear a mask! Wearing a face covering in busy places where you come in to contact with people you don’t normally come in to contact with combined with regular hand washing and good ventilation all play their part in reducing transmission of Covid, and other winter nasty bugs too.”

If you want to have a spooky but Covid-safe Halloween here are our top tips.

If you’re having a party:
• If you or any children have any signs of illnesses whatsoever, cough, cold, sore throat etc please don’t go, or if it’s your party rearrange it for another time.
• Keep the number of people low.
• Try and have the party outside if possible.
• If you’re having an indoors party, make sure there’s plenty of ventilation by opening windows.
• Try and party with people you regularly mix with and know are Covid-negative.
• Ask everyone coming to a party to do an LFT first.
• Frequently wipe down surfaces.
• Play games that don’t involve close contact or sharing things – for example, avoid apple bobbing!
• Make it a mask occasion even if not fancy dress, run a design a mask competition to see who can make the spookiest face covering and judge the event.

If you’re trick or treating:
• Go with a small group of people and follow Covid guidance
• Let households know you’re coming in case the occupants are self-isolating.
• If you’re happy to have trick-or-treaters knocking on your door, make sure your treats are either in packets or individually wrapped, and wash your hands between each handing over.

Story posted 27 October.

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