With Halloween coming up this weekend – and Victorians finally out of lockdown – the state’s DHHS have released some advice to residents planning to celebrate.
This is what they had to say:
KEY MESSAGES
“This Halloween there are some actions you can take to keep your friends, family and community safe, while still enjoying yourself:
If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) get tested and stay at home. By staying at home this Halloween, you help to keep your friends, family and community safe.
Wear a face mask with your costume, but remember that a costume mask that is part of your Halloween costume is not a substitute for a face mask. Consider making your own mask and decorating it.
Keep at least 1.5 metres between yourself and people you don’t live with. This means no hugging or kissing when greeting people. Don’t share food or drinks.
TRICK OR TREATING
While we can’t celebrate in the normal ways we would, there are alternative options:
Have a Halloween party outside in a public place. You can catch up with a group of up to ten people (including yourself). Babies under 12 months age aren’t included in the ten-person limit. An outdoor public place means an area accessible to everyone, including local parks and beaches.
Do a Halloween scavenger hunt by giving children a list of Halloween-themed things to look for as they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance. Just like eye-spy! The limit of ten people (including yourself) applies to scavenger hunts.
Carve or decorate pumpkins with members of your household.
Decorate your house.
Have a virtual costume party or party with friends and family on video chat.
Have a Halloween movie night with your household.
Create an around the house trick or treat or scavenger hunt for your household.
HANDING OUT LOLLIES OR CANDY
Coronavirus is still with us and celebrating at home is the safest way to mark Halloween this year. If you do trick or treat, you need to stay safe. It is safer not to hand out lollies or candy to trick-or-treaters this Halloween. This is because the virus can spread on surfaces, including food or packaging.
Under current restrictions traditional trick or treating where you knock on someone’s door is not permitted. If you can’t resist handing out lollies this year you can do so by having candy available outside of your home.
Don’t use communal bowls for lollies or candy. Putting lollies in a shared bowl will mean everyone is touching the same food and surfaces which isn’t safe.
Instead, put individually wrapped lollies or candy in bags for non-contact collection.
Place bags on your fence, at your front gate or outside your home for collection.
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before preparing the bags or individually wrapped lollies or candy.”
