March 29, 2024
Local News | Kane County Chronicle


Local News

St. Charles, Geneva, Elburn offer recommendations, guidelines for Halloween

Traditional trick-or-treating deemed 'higher risk' activity

As is the case with most things in 2020, Halloween parties and events will look a little different this year because of the pandemic.

While the city of Batavia has not yet released any guidelines on Halloween, St. Charles, Geneva and Elburn have issued statements.

"Since Halloween is not a city-sponsored event, please use your best judgment regarding whether or not to have your children go trick-or-treating door-to-door, which the CDC puts in the 'Higher Risk' category," the statement from the city of St. Charles reads. "And please follow mask, distancing, and hand sanitizing guidelines. If you do not feel comfortable handing out candy this year, simply turn off your porch lights. Trick-or-treating hours are from 3 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31. Click here for general Halloween safety tips from our Police Department."

The trick-or-treating hours for the village of Elburn have been extended this year to allow for more social distancing. According to a news release from the Elburn Police Department, the hours will be 4 to 8 p.m. The statement encourages families to follow the recommended guidelines and leave porch lights on or include signs if homes are participating in trick-or-treating this year. The village will have signs on its website that residents can download to indicate if they are participating or not this year.

The city of Geneva's trick-or-treating hours are 3 to 7 p.m., and on its website, the city recommends following all safety guidelines, including wearing masks.

The Centers for Disease Control recently released guidelines about the level of risk for contracting COVID-19 while celebrating the holiday.

According to the CDC, some low-risk activities include attending a virtual Halloween party, decorating homes and yards, outdoor Halloween scavenger hunts with household members, outdoor pumpkin carving or decorating and family Halloween movie nights with household members.

The CDC reports that moderate-risk activities include one-way trick-or-treating, small outdoor parties with masks, open-air one-way haunted forests, and wearing masks while attending pumpkin patches or orchards.

Higher-risk activities include traditional trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating, crowded parties, indoor haunted houses and hayrides or tractor rides with people not in the household.

Dr. Gina Song, a pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, echoed the CDC's recommendations and said people need to continue focusing on COVID-19 prevention measures however families choose to celebrate Halloween: keeping distance, avoiding crowded indoor activities and wearing masks.

"With traditional trick-or-treating, you're in close contact [with others]," she said. "You can leave treats outside and kids can grab them so the homeowner isn't in direct contact with the kids. Children should trick-or-treat with siblings and not during crowded times. We also recommend that kids don't just use costume masks because those are not designed to protect you, as they have a hole in the mouth. You should still use a mask that covers the mouth and nose. That's still important. I don't think we should cancel Halloween, but offer lower-risk fun activities."