Is it Safe to Trick-or-Treat This Halloween in the Hudson Valley?

The Center for Disease Control has released their recommendation for trick-or-treating.

As Halloween fast approaches, many parents are trying to figure out how to celebrate safely this year and the CDC has announced that their recommendation for this year is different from last year.

Last year the CDC asked families NOT to send children out to go trick-or-treating to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Here in the Hudson Valley, most community celebrations were canceled due the the recommendation and that let many kids unable to celebrate.

This year the CDC is changing their stance on community celebrations and whether or not to send our kids out to grab some candy according to News 10. The CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, was on the TV show, "Face the Nation" last weekend and said that kids CAN trick-or-treat safely this year, "I wouldn’t necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups."

As far as Halloween parties and celebrations, Walensky said, "If you’re able to be outdoors, absolutely."

Is it Safe to Hand Out Candy This Halloween?

The CDC said it is safe to do with some precautions. When trick-or-treaters come to your house asking for candy, keep all including interactions brief. The brief interactions will lessen the chance of any exposure to COVID-19 as the CDC defines exposure to COVID-19 as being within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or more.

The CDC did also want to encourage everyone to get vaccinated ASAP and to get their booster shot if they are eligible to do so. Happy Halloween!