While there isn't any word around the cancellation of Halloween in Florida, it will definitely look different. “No one can really cancel Halloween, but authorities can eliminate certain activities,” says Ellsworth Buck, V . p . of Insurance, Florida's leading independent home insurance agency.
Many Florida HOA's are considering cancelling trick-or-treating, without any official decisions yet. Some area theme parks have previously gone to live in abandon their Halloween events. Walt disney world and Universal will not hold their annual celebrations, however Sea World's Halloween Spooktacular has already been underway.
According to a Harris Poll survey, 63 percent of adults plan to find creative, fun and safe ways to celebrate halloween. Three from four people surveyed said they had no plans to place their kids door-to-door for candy. Only 27 percent of the 1,790 adults polled said they anticipate seeing kids trick-or-treat on October 31.
“When it comes to trick-or-treating, you may be wondering, 'is it worth it?'” says Ellsworth Buck, Vice President of Insurance, Florida's top independent home insurance agency.
Members of Congress were curious about fall festivities too and asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be released using their recommendations on the safest method to celebrate Halloween.
The CDC guidelines split activities into risk levels for guidance.
Low Risk
- Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household
- Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
- Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
- Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children walk outdoors admiring Halloween decorations in a distance
- Having an online Costume contest
- Having a Halloween movie night with individuals you reside with
- Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your family members in or around your home
Moderate Risk
- Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are arranged for families to seize and go (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
- Having a little group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
- Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are utilized and individuals usually stays a lot more than 6 feet apart
- Going for an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest, if screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is suggested. The higher the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
- Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are arranged for families to grab and go (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
- Having a little group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
- Attending an outfit party held outdoors where protective masks are utilized and people usually stays a lot more than 6 feet apart
- Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest, if screaming will probably occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the low the chance of spreading a respiratory virus.
Higher risk
- Participating in traditional door-to-door, trick-or-treating
- Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars arranged in large parking lots
- Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
- Going for an indoor haunted house where individuals might be crowded together and screaming
- Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Using alcohol or drugs, which could cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
- Traveling to a fall festival that isn't in your community if you reside within an area with community spread of COVID-19
The CDC makes it clear these are supplemental to not take the place of any state or local health and safety laws, rules and regulations for Halloween celebrations.
However you choose to spend your Halloween, stay safe.
