Culver City Fire Department: Halloween Safety

Culver City CA

15 October, 2021

12:30 PM

Description

Press release from the Culver City Fire Department: October 14, 2021 Closed spaces with poor air flow   Crowded places with many people nearby   Close contact settings especially where people are talking, laughing, screaming, or breathing heavily close together.  Safer Halloween Options  Hold a virtual costume party online.   Exchange candy with families you know. Drop off a Halloween treat at the doorstep to surprise the kids. Trick-or-treat inside your home by hiding candy for your kids to find. For a fun surprise, hide yourself, too!   Have a spooky movie night or a Halloween craft or pumpkin carving party with the family.   Organize a neighborhood costume parade outdoors. Don't forget to physically distance. Bring and wear a face mask in case it gets crowded.  Keep your group small. Limit your group to your immediate household or to a small group that you know well. Avoid mixing with many different families. Don't be afraid to ask about people's vaccination status and recent risks before deciding who is safe to trick-or-treat with.   Wear a face mask. Be creative and make your face mask part of your costume. A costume mask is NOT a substitute for a face mask that protects against COVID-19.  Do not wear a costume mask over a face mask. It can make breathing more difficult.   Wear a face mask if you are in a crowded outdoor place and if you must be indoors with others.   Make sure that everyone in your group wears a face mask consistently and correctly if your group includes different households, especially if there are people who are not fully vaccinated.   Keep your distance from other groups of trick-or-treaters. Wait on the sidewalk at least 6 feet from other groups. Don't gather with other groups on porches and at front doors.   Keep hands clean. Carry hand sanitizer so that kids can clean their hands while trick-or-treating. Remind kids to not eat or touch their face with unclean hands.   Be flexible. If a house or street is crowded, come back later or go to another less crowded street.   Avoid indoor spaces. Wear masks at all times when you are indoors with people from other households.  Give out treats outdoors.   Set up a grab and go treat station outside your door. Place goodie bags at least 6 feet away from you for families to pick up.   Wear a face mask if you answer the door to trick-or-treaters. Consider wearing a face mask that provides a higher level of protection such as an N95 respirator or double mask (wear a cloth face mask over a surgical mask).   Use tape to mark spots six feet apart on the way up to your door where people can wait.   Use fun ways to give the candy while keeping your distance. Such as sliding the candy down a wrapping paper tube into trick-or-treat bags.  Keep gatherings small and outdoors. If it must be indoors, improve the air flow by opening windows and doors if it is safe to do so.   Avoid indoor haunted houses where people may crowd together and scream. People spray tiny droplets when they yell or scream. The droplets can build up indoors, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19 if someone is infected.   Avoid crowded places. Being in crowds, especially indoors, puts you at a higher risk.   Wear a face mask. Incorporate a face mask that covers your nose and mouth snugly into your costume. A costume mask is NOT a substitute for a face mask that protects against COVID-19. Wear the mask whenever you are inside with other people or in crowded outdoor spaces.   Be flexible. Be willing to change your plans or leave if you feel uncomfortable or find yourself in a place where COVID-19 can spread more easily. For example, indoors in a loud crowded bar or restaurant with a lot of people who are not wearing face masks. Thank you for helping to reduce the risk of COVID-19 for neighbors, children, and everyone in the community. Have a happy and safe Halloween!  This press release was produced by the Culver City Fire Department. The views expressed here are the author's own.