Peabody Issues Halloween Trick-Or-Treat Guidance

PEABODY, MA — Peabody is asking residents to keep trick-or-treating groups small this year amid the coronavirus health crisis.

Saying in a letter to the community "trick-or-treating is considered a safer alternative to hosting Halloween parties, which are strongly discouraged this year," Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt and the city issued guidelines on how to best celebrate the holiday amid the public health emergency.

The letter said trick-or-treating should be done during the "traditional" hours of 5:30 to 7:30 on Halloween night and that groups trick-or-treating together should include no more than 10 people.

Those trick-or-treating should wear a mask, carry hand sanitizer and stay 6 feet apart from others.

Households that do no want to participate in trick-or-treating should shut off their outside lights and those trick-or-treating should respect that and avoid any house with porch lights off.

Those planning to hand out candy should provide individually wrapped grab-and-go goodie bags rather than candy from a communal bowl.

Those who do not feel well should not trick-or-treat or hand out candy.

The Centers for Disease Control has designated traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating as a "high risk" activity in its holiday guidance.

Other activities CDC considers "high risk" on the holiday include reaching into a communal bowof candy and walking through an indoor haunted house.

Activities categorized as "moderate risk" are driveway trick-or-treating, outdoor costume parties and small outdoor costume parades.

Activities considered "low risk" include individual pumpkin carving, distanced scavenger hunts and family movie nights and remote costume parties.

Related Patch Coverage: Halloween Is Still On In MA, But Baker Has A Thing Or Two To Say