With almost 28 million worldwide cases of COVID-19 and nearly a million deaths, it’s no surprise that businesses are continuing to struggle, safety precautions remain a top priority and many social events have been postponed or canceled. In the United States, which has seen a whopping 6 million confirmed cases, tons of people are now jobless and seeking employment while the virus continues to be a source of political divide.
The pandemic has also been detrimental to modern conveniences and socialization, and it appears that things won’t be better by the holidays, likely leading to a lot of socially distanced Thanksgiving and Christmas events. But though those holidays will see tons of folks missing out on family gatherings full of food and celebration, one other yearly event is also proving to be difficult to deal with during the outbreak – the spooky, candy-collecting holiday of Halloween.
This has led many to wonder how to go about trick or treating this year in the wake of the coronavirus, but it appears that for those in Los Angeles, CA, the decision is being made for them. According to the LA County Department of Public Health, neither door to door trick or treating or trunk or treating is going to be approved this year.
The guidance statement says:
Door to door trick or treating is not allowed because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors especially in neighborhoods that are popular with trick or treaters. ‘Trunk or treating’ events where children go from car to car instead of door to door to receive treats are also not allowed. Gatherings or Parties with non-household members are not permitted even if they are conducted outdoors. Carnivals, festivals, live entertainment, and haunted house attractions are not allowed.
Events such as car parades and Halloween movie nights at drive-in theaters remain allowed in LA, and citizens are more than welcome to decorate their homes to be as spooky as they’d like. Halloween-themed dinners are even approved for outdoor restaurants, though indoor dining seems off the table for now – no pun intended.
It’s yet to be seen how many other counties across the US will ultimately step in and shut down trick or treating this year, but it’s safe to say LA won’t be the last. That said, it seems like a good year to stay inside with a bucket full of candy and stream a Halloween flick instead.
