Tips for celebrating Halloween safely in Olmsted County
This Halloween will be different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health and safety of our community remains top priority as we continue to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that families rethink how they celebrate Halloween this year.
Instead of the traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating, the City of Rochester, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center, and Olmsted County Public Health encourage the community to be creative and review Halloween activities by their level of risk.
Low-risk
- Celebrate at home with members of your household by having a special Halloween-themed meal, carving pumpkins, and watching a movie.
- Have a family scavenger hunt in the house or backyard.
Medium-risk
Invite the neighbors to a driveway trick-or-treat opportunity. To maintain physical distancing, put treats in small goodie bags and place them on a table at the end of the driveway or edge of a yard for families to pick up and go.
If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags.
High-risk
- Participate in traditional trick-or-treating or attend a trunk-or-treat event.
- Hold or attend an indoor costume party with people not living in your house.
If individuals decide to participate in medium- to high-risk activities, we strongly encourage the three Ws:
- Wear a face mask (a costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth face mask)
- Wash your hands
- Watch your distance and stay six feet away from people not in your household