ARIZONA, USA — It's Labor Day Weekend and the holidays are quickly approaching but what will those celebrations actually look like this year with COVID-19 under consideration.
"It's kind of scary in a different way, in a not so good way," valley Doctor Shad Marvasti said.
Traditionally, Halloween is spooky and scary because of monsters and masks but this year, 2020 will be horrifying for other reasons, Dr. Shad said. He's sharing secrets on staying safe while still maintaining holiday traditions that are fun for the whole family.
Things to keep in mind:
- Social Distancing
- Sanitizing
- Staying Connected
- Safely Celebrating
"What we need to do is come up with creative ways to stay connected to our friends and family," Dr. Shad said.
He suggests a "trunk or treat" style Halloween to socially distance. Plus, he adds it's important for our mental health to do things we would normally be doing this time of year.
"We've had the COVID-19 parade drive-by parties, you could have something similar like reverse trick or treating," Dr. Shad said.
If you go "old school" and leave a bowl of goodies out for the ghouls and goblins maybe package everything a little differently and make a creative game out of it with your own kids.
"If you leave a bowl with pre-packaged candy, in little allotments, so kids aren't reaching their hands into the same bowl," he said.
And while many will already be "wearing masks" as we have been almost all year, it's still a good idea to wait 72 hours to open or eat the candy.
"We know that the transmission of the virus doesn't really occur as much on surfaces as it does face to face in close contact," Dr. Shad added.
He says, above all try to enjoy the treats but don't get tricked, be safe, smart, and don't forget to sanitize surfaces and hands.
