Halloween festivities are back!

After not really being able to celebrate the holiday last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts are saying we can have our Halloween again - with some precautions. As Halloween is my favorite holiday, I’m extra excited about this news.

According to an Oct. 12 NPR article titled “Get the candy bowl ready. Dr. Fauci says Halloween is a go this year,” children are encouraged to go out and trick or treat safely.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the chief medical adviser to the president, said with the vaccine being available to everyone over the age of 12 and with trick or treat occurring outdoors, children should get out and have fun.

“This is a time that children love. It’s a very important part of the year for children,” he said.

The NPR article also includes feedback from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

“If you’re able to be outdoors, absolutely. Limit crowds. I wouldn’t necessarily go to a crowded, crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups,” Walensky said.

This being said, we should remember that COVID-19 numbers continue to be reported, so it’s important to take some precautions to ensure the safety of the community.

An Oct. 9 article on healthychildren.org details ways to have fun while staying safe this Halloween. Some of these tips include keeping in small groups while trick-or-treating and maintaining distance from large groups. Sticking to outdoor areas and not entering neighbors’ homes is encouraged, and using hand sanitizer after touching shared surfaces is a good way to keep anything from spreading.

For those giving out candy, consider sitting outside to give out candy and using prepackaged, sealed goodies. Nonedible treats are also a good option, especially for those with food allergies.

Masking is always a viable option, especially if moving around through crowded areas. Since it’s Halloween, get creative with costumes and see how you can incorporate the mask. Making the mask a fun part of the costume will help encourage children, especially those too young for a vaccine, to wear them.

Let’s not forget the normal safety precautions for Halloween, such as knowing where your children are at all times, making sure costumes fit properly, using bright or reflective material for when it gets dark and checking candy and treats before eating them.

For non-trick-or-treaters who may be out and about this weekend, be extra vigilant while driving. There will be children walking around all over the local neighborhoods. And since many municipalities have different trick-or-treat nights, keep aware all weekend. Drive a little slower this weekend, just in case.

Some local trick-or-treat nights include:

• Allen Township: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31, with rain date Nov. 1

• Bath Borough: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31

• Catasauqua Borough: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30, with rain date Oct. 31

• Coplay Borough: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29, with rain date Oct. 30

• East Allen Township: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29

• Lehigh Township: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29

• Moore Township: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31

• Northampton: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31

• North Catasauqua Borough: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30, with rain date Oct. 31

• Whitehall Township: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29, with rain date Oct. 30

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Samantha Anderson

editorial assistant

Whitehall-Coplay Press

Northampton Press

Catasauqua Press