INDIANAPOLIS — The City of Indianapolis and the Marion County Public Health Department have announced public health and safety guidance for celebrating Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMPD will schedule extra patrols and enforcement in neighborhoods from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Marion County Public Health Department has issued the following public health guidance, based on current public health orders and relative risk levels of different activities. Guidance may change if conditions change. Guidance includes maintaining social distancing, wearing a face covering in public, and washing or using hand sanitizer frequently. They are also asking celebrants to avoid indoor spaces that don’t allow for easy distancing of at least 6 feet between you and others.
If you are ill, stay home and away from others or you have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Experts stress that costume (Halloween) masks are not a substitute for a cloth mask. Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume makes it hard to breathe.
In-person social gatherings or parties more than 50 people are not permitted per the current MCPHD public health order. In addition, close contact (less than 6 feet), door-to-door trick-or-treating or “trunk-or-treating,” and leaving bowls of candy for others to grab are not recommended, because it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing guidelines.
Haunted houses are not recommended unless they have entrance controls with sufficient monitors inside the facility at entrance/exit areas to make sure there is no lagging or congregating between participants who are members of different households. Close contact between individuals from different households is particularly dangerous in haunted houses because loud voices and screaming can spread the virus further.
Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household is not recommended, unless you are able to maintain two feet of distance from other parties and stay masked during the ride. If you do participate in a hayride or tractor ride, it should start within 15 minutes of the participants being seated and should unload within 15 minutes of the ride’s end.
Attending indoor Halloween parties is not recommended, particularly if a party is held in a crowded or poorly ventilated area.
On the other hand, safer alternatives to Halloween merry-making are encouraged. Online parties/contests (e.g., costume or pumpkin carving) and drive-through events and car parades can be organized. Dressing up homes and yards with Halloween-themed decorations are fun and allow for social distance (drive-by) viewing.
Family-oriented Halloween activities, such as treat-making and crafts as a family for creative dinners and spooky decorations are great. Participate in drive-through events or contests where individuals dress up or decorate their vehicles and receive scores from “judges” who are maintaining appropriate physical distance.
Participate in one-way trick-or-treating, where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard). Consider distributing treats other than candy, which parents can then sanitize before giving to kids: stickers in cellophane packaging, pencils, mini pumpkins, erasers, etc.
