Haddonfield Signs Available To Display Trick-Or-Treat Preference

HADDONFIELD, NJ — While Haddonfield officials are urging residents not to go trick-or-treating this Halloween amid the coronavirus pandemic, the decision of whether to go is ultimately up to the residents.

Likewise, the decision of whether to give out candy is up to residents, who will have their choice of signs letting everyone know their stance.

Haddonfield has made a pair of signs available to residents. One sign has a white background, and is for those who wish to participate. The sign with the orange background is for those who are choosing to forego the tradition this year.

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The white sign reads, “Happy Halloween! We have placed treats outside for your enjoyment. Please touch only what you’ll take and leave some for others. Please do not touch our door or congregate on our property.”

The orange sign reads, “Happy Halloween! Our home is not participating in trick-or-treating. See you next year!”

The signs can be printed right off the borough’s Facebook page. Anyone who can’t print them can pick up hard copies at Borough Hall. PDFs will be available for downloading on the borough’s website later this week.

Over the last five days, there were a total of seven new cases of the coronavirus identified in Haddonfield, according to Camden County officials. As of Wednesday, there are 127 total cases of the virus in Haddonfield and five confirmed deaths. Trace investigations are underway in all new cases.

Countywide, there are 11,359 cases of the coronavirus and 559 confirmed deaths. According to the Camden County Department of Health, there are 1,516 confirmed cases among residents at the county's long-term care facilities, with 332 deaths. Another 623 cases were reported among staff members, with three deaths.

"We have been calling attention to a troubling rise in cases recently, and unfortunately, that trend appears to be continuing," Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said on Tuesday. "Today, Camden County's seven-day average of new cases is 56, the highest it has been since June 6. We are experiencing a surge in cases that we have not seen since the spring, and we have to respond in kind. Now is the time to reduce your potential exposures to this virus, limit your contact with groups, and strictly adhere to mask usage, social distancing, and other public health recommendations. We need everyone to take this seriously, or we are on course for a very difficult winter."

During a news conference last week, Gov. Phil Murphy set forth some safety guidelines, which include wearing a cloth or surgical mask beneath their costumes and trick-or-treating only with members of the same household. If trick-or-treating with people in different households, though, he recommended social distancing. Read more here: Gov. Murphy Issues NJ Halloween Rules, Guidance Amid Coronavirus

Here are some rules and guidance Murphy spoke about:

• In place of placing treats in bags, the candy should be arranged way so that they can be accessed but can't be touched "multiple times."
• Those distributing candy should have treats individually packaged so trick-or-treaters can "grab and go" with no shared bowl.
• Trick-or-treaters and those distributing candy need to wear masks.
• Groups should be limited to household members.
• Groups should stay local.
• Trick-or-treaters should limit the number of homes on their route.
• Social distancing is required for groups who are not all from the same household
• Handing out candy is not recommended.
• Those distributing candy should wash your hands repeatedly.
• Commercially packaged and non-perishable treats are recommended.
• Outdoor trunk-or-treat events can be held, but the number of cars should be limited for social distancing. Lines should be single-file and socially distanced.

See related: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know