Clark County Public Health is encouraging residents to take precautions during Halloween activities to reduce the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.

Clark County’s COVID-19 case rate is slowly decreasing but remains very high. Last week’s case rate of 450.9 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days is comparable to peak rates during the winter months.

“We want people to be able to enjoy Halloween. But with virus activity still high, it’s important to take precautions to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director. “You can still have fun while celebrating safely.”

Pumpkin patches

Outdoor activities are often lower risk than indoor activities. But crowded pumpkin patches can pose a higher risk for the virus to spread, especially if additional precautions are not taken.

Reduce the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 when visiting pumpkin patches by taking these steps:

• Wear a face covering. Face coverings are required to be worn at large outdoor events with 500 people or more and strongly recommended at any crowded outdoor setting where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
• Keep your distance. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from people in different households.
• Use hand sanitizer after touching shared surfaces, such as handrails and wheelbarrows. And wash hands with soap and water upon returning home.
• If you’re feeling sick, stay home.

Halloween parties

Celebrating at home with other members of the household is the safest option. Going to crowded Halloween parties and gatherings with people from multiple households are higher risk activities where COVID-19 transmission can occur. It’s safest to skip these activities.

People who choose to attend gatherings can take simple steps to make the events less risky:

• Gather outdoors, which is often safer than gathering indoors.

• If gathering indoors, open doors and windows to increase the amount of fresh air in the room.
• Wear a mask if gathering indoors or when outdoors and unable to stay 6 feet from others.
• Gather with other people who are vaccinated. Gatherings are safer if everyone who is able is vaccinated.
• Keep the gathering small.
• Don’t host or attend a gathering if you’re feeling sick.

Trick-or-treating

Large groups of trick-or-treaters going door to door can pose a higher risk for virus transmission – for people giving and receiving candy.

Make trick-or-treating safer for children and adults by taking these steps:

• Avoid traveling in big groups. Instead, stick with members of the same household.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from other groups of trick-or-treaters.
• Incorporate snug cloth face coverings into costumes.
• Wash hands before and after trick-or-treating. Bring hand sanitizer to use while trick-or-treating.
• If you’re feeling sick, stay home.

People who plan to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters can also take steps to make the visits safer:

• Create grab bags of treats, rather than having kids dig through a communal bowl of treats.
• Set treats on a table outside and greet visitors from a lawn chair at least 6 feet away. Or try a creative approach, like sliding candy down a long tube.
• Use little pumpkins or other markers on the ground to help visitors stay at least 6 feet apart.

With a little care and creativity, everyone can celebrate Halloween safely.