Dr. Jack Butterfield, Safety Officer for the Muskingum County Joint Unified Command, has issued another safety message, this time addressing events centered around Halloween and how to be as safe as possible while still enjoying the festivities.

“Halloween is a holiday with a number of favorite family and neighborhood traditions,” said Butterfield. “Unfortunately, as with many other customs, the Coronavirus has forced us to consider ways to safely enjoy the holiday.”

Along with guidance from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health in regards to safely celebrating Halloween, Butterfield has recommended the following best practices.

• That hayrides and haunted houses be canceled or avoided
• Drive-through or drive-in trick-or-treat events be held with children remaining in the vehicle and collecting treats from individuals spaced at least six feet away
• That large in-person Halloween parties not be held
• If smaller parties are held, that attendance is limited to 10 or fewer people and held in an outdoor area where social distancing is possible
• Activities such as bobbing for apples, that foster the spread of the infection be avoided
• Continue to wear a face mask or covering
• Maintain a distance of at least six feet with non-household members
• If sick, stay at home
• Carry hand sanitizer and use it often, especially after coming into contact with frequently touched surfaces and before eating candy
• Wipe off candy wrappers with sanitizing wipes after arriving home
• Only have children eat factory-wrapped treats
• Refrain from having children select their own treats from a bowl or common container
• Place individually packages treats on porch steps or a table in the driveway to maintaining proper social distancing