As we entered the month of October, there were many families in Fishers asking this question – will we even have a Halloween this year with the pandemic?  The answer is yes, but there are recommendations for parents

The hours for Trick or Treating will be 6-8pm October 31st, which is a Saturday this year.  Police Chief Ed Gebhart has a number of tips for those venturing out Halloween night.

Here is the information, as provided by the Fishers Police Department:

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• A parent or adult should accompany children when they are trick-or-treating.
• Stay within your neighborhood. Only visit homes where the porch lights are on, indicating a home that is handing out treats.
• Only go to houses where you know the owner.
• Give and accept pre-packaged candy only. Homemade treats should not be handed out or consumed.
• Have children bring treats home for adult inspection before they are eaten.
• Carry a flashlight.
• Choose costumes that are flame retardant.
• Wear light-colored clothing, short enough to prevent tripping. Add reflective tape to dark colored costumes.
• Watch for vehicular traffic and use caution when crossing the street.

The Fishers Health Department’s Public Health Director, Monica Heltz, DNP, MPH, shares health-related safety recommendations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 on Halloween. Those recommendations include:

• Do not participate in trick-or-treating or handing out treats if you have symptoms of COVID-19, a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 10 days, or have been notified that you have been in contact with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
• All trick-or-treaters and all persons handing out treats should sanitize hands frequently and if possible, between each contact. Hands should also be sanitized prior to consuming any edible treats.
• All trick-or-treaters and all persons at home when answering their door should wear a mask or facial covering made of two or more layers of breathable material.
• All treats should be individually wrapped.
• Do not dispense treats from a common bowl or receptacle. Consider no-contact methods for dispensing treats (i.e. treats in individual bags in the yard, treats in plastic eggs dispersed in the yard, etc.) Trick-or-treaters should look for treats outdoors around the house before knocking.
• Trick-or-treat only with individuals from your household or smallest social bubble.
• Consider lower risk activities for celebrating Halloween as an alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treating, especially for high-risk individuals. Ideas include a neighborhood scavenger hunt, virtual costume contest, or family movie night.

The complete list of Halloween recommendations is available at this link.