In keeping with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Loch Alpine Board of Directors is not scheduling a neighborhood trick-or treat nor sponsoring any Halloween activities, and recommends against trick or treating from door to door this year, which is among the activities the CDC considers as “high risk.” Also included in the high-risk category are “attending crowded, indoor costume parties, visiting indoor haunted houses or going on hayrides or tractor rides with strangers.”
This doesn’t mean, however, that children (and big kids alike) can’t celebrate Halloween at all. Among activities the CDC identifies as low-risk activities are carving pumpkins and decorating one’s home, outdoor scavenger hunts, virtual costume contests and hosting a movie night with household [or pod] members. The CDC also describes moderately risky activities, with more information online:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween.
Another important piece of CDC guidance is not to use a costume mask as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it meets the same standards, and also not to wear a costume mask over a cloth mask, which can make it hard to breathe. The LAIA Board asks everyone to make the health and well-being of our community a priority in making decisions about Halloween and other upcoming holidays. Together, we can protect ourselves and each other during this challenging time.