Social distancing for ghouls and goblins By: Editorial Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/10/2020 (1422 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s traditionally regarded as the scariest night of the year, but this Halloween has the opportunity to be something completely unexpected — a little ray of sunshine.

A safe, socially distanced Halloween might be just what the doctor ordered for Manitoba parents and children coping with unprecedented stress as COVID-19 counts soar in a province that, lamentably, has seen among the highest per-capita active case numbers in the country.

All Hallows’ Eve is arguably the only festive occasion that can be enjoyed in relative safety, provided participants follow the public-health orders that have been in place since the pandemic breached Manitoba’s borders seven months ago.

Unlike Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving, Halloween activities — at least, the trick-or-trick tradition involving youngsters and candy — take place outdoors and do not encourage participants to gather for a family feast or in a house of worship for a religious ceremony.

Manitoba’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, has made it clear Halloween will “look different” this year, and it is up to Manitobans to decide for themselves whether it is worth the risk to celebrate. “If you’re feeling well, and you’re sure you can be out without any close contact with others, you can find a way to try and enjoy Halloween,” he advised.

In deciding what to do Saturday, Manitobans should heed Dr. Roussin’s oft-repeated pandemic mantra — no one should be stigmatized. For parents who feel the ritual of trick-or-treating poses too large a threat this year, that means it’s acceptable to just turn out the porch lights, keep the kids inside and opt not to hand out candy.

At the same time, parents should not be judged if they allow their miniature ghosts and ghouls to take part, provided they follow public-health guidelines — non-medical masks incorporated into costumes, kids maintaining a safe two-metre distance from others on the sidewalk, and hands being sanitized regularly.

The quest for candy could be restricted to the homes of relatives and close family friends; marking proper two-metre spacing on sidewalks and driveways could also discourage ghostly gaggles from gathering at the front door.

Inventive methods can be employed to hand out candy without any physical contact. In the run-up to Halloween, media reports have focused on creative parents setting up candy chutes or self-serve stations to dispense treats.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, has even suggested employing hockey sticks as a tool to hand out Halloween goodies, while others are resorting to kitchen tongs and plastic grabbers. A few wildly creative souls have gained attention by building mini-catapults to fling candy at socially distanced costumed kids.

As provincial health officials ponder the possibility of even tighter restrictions to flatten a rising curve, they have made it clear one thing is out of bounds: large Halloween parties. No one should host a spooky party or haunted house, even though current rules allow one household to gather with five other people.

On the upside, social distancing shouldn’t be too difficult, as a survey from the price-comparison website finder.com noted nine out of 10 Canadians have said no to trick-or-treating this year. The tradition is most likely to continue in the Prairie provinces, where 13 per cent vowed to participate.

Perhaps best of all, Halloween pranksters are unlikely to wrap homes in toilet paper this year. During the pandemic, that stuff is just too hard to find.