Halloween Guidelines Issued by Board of Health, City Health Officer
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— Many traditional Halloween activities can be high risk for spreading viruses. The Fayetteville Board of Health is asking the residents of Fayetteville to participate in lower-risk activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are asking you to please adhere to the following guidelines:
Participate in safe alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating:
- Small group, outdoor costume parades
- Outdoor pumpkin carving/decorating while social distancing
- Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while walking in their neighborhood
- Having an Easter egg hunt-style trick-or-treat search
Activities to avoid:
- Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
- Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars
- Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
- Going to a haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
- Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
Alternative trick-or-treating:
- All pedestrian traffic should flow in the same direction
- Only trick-or-treat with members of the same household
- Wear a mask (see below) and maintain social distancing of at least six feet
- Individually wrapped goodie bags or treats are lined up for families to grab and go at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard
- If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags
The safe use of masks:
- A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask
- A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose
- Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe
- Consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask
Please check the City’s www.fayetteville-ar.gov/covid19 webpage to keep up to date on information for Fayetteville residents and businesses, including links to state- and city-level COVID-19 numbers, Arkansas Department of Health directives and helpful resources during the pandemic.