With the Halloween and Dia de los Muertos holidays quickly approaching, public health officials are trying to get the word out that local children and families can celebrate safely and without risking further spread of Covid-19.
The Covid-19 virus continues to circulate in communities throughout San Benito County, resulting in severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths among local residents, county staff noted.
Halloween and Dia de los Muertos are no different than any other day when it comes to reducing the spread of the coronavirus. Traditional holiday activities, such as trick-or-treating and house parties, are considered high-risk. County public health officials “strongly discourage” trick-or-treating.
Celebrants should consider using a Halloween-themed cloth face covering, as a costume mask is not a safe substitute, county staff said.
Residents are advised to start planning now to organize safer options. “The safest way to celebrate Halloween is to spend time with people in the same household or to celebrate virtually,” reads a county press release.
Some safe alternatives for Halloween activities include: Creating a haunted house in your home for members of your family; having a scary movie night or pumpkin carving at your home; participating in online contests; dressing up homes and yards with Halloween-themed decorations; participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt in your neighborhood; and car parades with costumes and decorated vehicles that comply with public health guidelines.
Safer options for the celebration of Dia de los Muertos include: Decorating your home with images and objects to honor deceased loved ones; cooking traditional family recipes; playing music in your homes that deceased loved ones enjoyed; making and decorating masks or an altar to honor the dead; or joining a virtual gathering.
Activities that are prohibited due to the high risk that they might encourage the spread of Covid-19, according to county officials, include gatherings and parties that invite attendees from outside the household; carnivals, festivals, live shows and public haunted houses; and large indoor gatherings where people from different households congregate.
As always—regardless of how you celebrate—revelers are encouraged to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, wash hands frequently, stay outdoors and stay home if you are sick or in a high-risk group.
Anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 should seek care from their medical provider and get tested, county public health officials added.
The county’s latest Covid-19 numbers show that the daily new case volume is slowly declining, but another death was disclosed in the county’s Oct. 6 newsletter. Since March, there have been 1,371 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in San Benito County, and 12 deaths related to the illness.
For more information about Covid-19, visit the county’s Public Health Services website at https://hhsa.cosb.us/public-health/.
