As we head into the holiday season, starting with Halloween, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is issuing guidance to help people celebrate safely as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.  Guidelines include following the 3 W’s – Wash your hands. Watch your distance. Wear your mask. If you think you could have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, do not participate in any in-person Halloween activities.

Trick-or-treating
– Anyone participating in trick-or-treating, including those passing out candy, should maintain 6-feet of social distance and wear proper face coverings.
– Consider leaving individually wrapped candy (spaced apart) on a table in driveways or in front of walkways, sidewalks, or any outdoor space where 6-feet of distance can be maintained.
– A Halloween costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. Ensure that breathing is not impaired if a cloth mask is worn under a costume mask.  If so, discard the costume mask.

Haunted Houses
– Halloween haunted houses currently are not allowed in Restore Illinois Phase 4 Guidelines.
– Consider open-air, one-way haunted forests or haunted walks where 6-feet of distance can be maintained and face coverings are used.

Adult costume parties, social gatherings, Halloween parties at bars
– Gatherings of more than 50 people or 50 percent or more of a building’s maximum occupancy are prohibited. (Lower limits may apply for regions in additional mitigation.)
– The more time you spend at a gathering, the closer the contact, the more people, the higher your risk of exposure to COVID-19.

For more information on safety tips, visit www.dph.illinois.gov