Residents Urged to Be Safe During Fall Celebrations

As many begin to plan for fall celebrations such as Halloween and Día de los Muertos, Sedgwick County Government and the City of Wichita want to encourage residents to adopt safe practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released guidelines for celebrating safely here.

While many traditional celebrations can be higher-risk for spreading COVID-19, there are safer, alternative ways to celebrate.

If you do participate in trick-or-treating activities, there are several ways to stay safe while having fun:

• Practice physical distancing
• Correctly wear a cloth face covering
• Carry hand sanitizer and use it regularly
• Sanitize items individually when you get home
• Do not use “grab bowls,” where trick-or-treaters reach into a communal bowl to retrieve candy
• Make individual goodie bags for trick-or-treaters to pick up as they walk by
• Clean and sanitize frequently touched items such as door handles, door bells, and door knockers

The CDC has also suggested alternative, lower-risk activities, including:

• Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
• Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household
• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with friends
• Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

While COVID-19 has changed how we celebrate special occasions this year, enacting safe practices will help our community stay healthy and get back to normal as soon as possible. Sedgwick County Government and the City of Wichita wish residents a fun and safe fall.

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