SACCOUNTY NEWS

​The usual spooky festivities for Halloween may feel extra scary due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Sacramento County Public Health​ has important guidance to help ensure safer trick-or-treating for everyone to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. This year, it is important to stay in your own neighborhood, along with following the guidance below to have a fun and safe Halloween! 

Firstly, you will need to wear a face-covering – so why not make it fun! Have your child select their own face covering, and then decorate it together to match their costume. 

When you are out trick-or-treating, travel only with your household members (don’t forget – wear your face covering), be sure to maintain 6 feet of social distance from others, and make interactions brief with others outside your household. 

Keep from transferring the virus with your hands. When you touch objects or your face, the virus may be lurking, so wash your hands often and have hand sanitizer handy.  Be sure to clean/disinfect high-touch surfaces. Also, have everyone wait to dig into the candy until hands are clean before unwrapping the candy, and then again before eating the candy. Do not share costume props or food. And, of course, if you feel sick or could be contagious, you must stay home and away from others. 

This year, you need to make it an outdoor festivity. In an outdoor area, such as a porch or driveway: 

These ideas will help you and others be extra safe while still celebrating Halloween

This year it is important that you do not travel to other neighborhoods to trick-or-treat. Don’t have trick-or-treaters walk up to your door to give candy and don’t use your hands to deliver treats. If you are not feeling well or are exhibiting symptoms, do not go out in the public​. To clarify, gatherings with individuals outside of your household are not allowed. The reason for this is because the virus is widespread in Sacramento County and you or those at the gathering may not know if someone is COVID-19 positive and contagious. Due to our high-risk level, Sacramento County has been placed in a restrictive Tier by the State. It is for your safety and of others that gatherings are prohibited. In early summer, the County had bent the COVID-19 case “curve,” but gatherings caused a spike in new COVID-19 cases and the ripple effect is still with us. We know social distancing works and if we adhere to the protocol, our COVID-19 cases will continue to go down.  If you do disregard the Order – at the very least, do it smarter – keep gatherings small, outdoors, wear face coverings and with only those in your “regular bubble.”

The safest way to celebrate is with household members or virtually, to include: Placing an altar in a front window or outside, or create a virtual space to honor lost loved ones and share via email or social media. For cemetery visits, only visit with those you live with, wear masks and maintain social distancing. Limit time spent to minimum necessary.

Have you spent time with people outside of your household and you weren’t able to physically distance? You may have been exposed unknowingly to the COVID virus – you should get tested. The public is encouraged to get tested regularly. Sacramento County has 11 locations to get tested for COVID-19 for anyone living in the County (2 years old+). Testing is free, appointment times are easy to get, and results are provided in 1-3 days. Also, having the public get regular testing in our County gives the State more precise data so that the Case Rate isn’t adjusted higher when Tier levels are determined.