LANSING, Mich. — Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail said families should proceed with caution when trick-or-treating.
“Those short brief interactions aren’t necessarily high risk, but they aren’t low risk,” said Vail.
Vail is giving families the ‘ok’ to move forward with their trick-or-treating plans, but said to steer clear of big social gatherings.
“I’m not advising parties, advising children don’t move around in big groups and hang tight together, rather than hang with their families,” she said.
Although there is some risk involved going door-to-door collecting candy, Vail said it’s unlikely to pick up the virus from that.
“Respiratory droplets and aerosol are the primary source of infection; and that fomites, surfaces, also contribute to it, but you’re talking about high-touch surfaces. You’re not talking about a candy wrapper or things like that," said Vail. “Somebody would have had to literally cough or sneeze on it almost immediately before you touched it. Then you touch it and your eyes, nose, and mouth to have enough of a virtual load and to actually have a virus that hasn’t fallen apart and deactivated before there was even an opportunity for it to infect me.”
Betsy Iszler, mother of two, said she is nervous to go out for Halloween, but wants to give her kids the experience. She said she will only go to a few houses in her neighborhood.
“Everybody that I’ve talked to said they’re going trick-or-treating, but it’s just much more watered down than usual. We’re not going to get a huge bucket full of candy. We’re just going so the kids can have the experience," said Iszler.
Iszler said she is making a contact-less candy bowl. She said she is making a slide down her steps to give away candy. That way social distancing can be practiced.
Although this year’s Halloween is unlike others in the past, Iszler said she is going to make the most of the day.
With limited trick-or-treating this year, Iszler had the idea to create her own Escape Room. She said it’s a great way to keep her kids in the Halloween spirit.
Below are the following Halloween curfews Halloween in Mid-Michigan cities:
Bath: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Charlotte: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Delhi Township: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- DeWitt: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- East Lansing: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Eaton Rapids: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Grand Ledge: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Haslett: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Howell: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Jackson: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Lansing: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 - Additional activities available.
- Leslie: 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Mason: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Meridian Township: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Okemos: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Owosso: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Perry: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Potterville: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- St. Johns: 6:30-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Vermontville: 5:00-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
- Williamston: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
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