County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said Contra Costa Health Services is encouraging a moratorium on traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating this year.
Ringing doorbells and accepting handfuls of candy at close range can help spread COVID-19, Farnitano said.
He encouraged other ways to have fun at Halloween, mentioning drive-by pumpkin carving contests as an example.
QUESTION: If Contra Costa County banned trick-or-treating, would you still hand out candy and let your child participate?
83 comments
YES, YES AND YES!
WE WILL be trick or treating. Oh yes we will! Dont like it? Dont do it. But we are all in.
Leave it to you
Martinezmike — you’re being a little hard on the Beaver.
I’m worried about the Beaver.
There’s nothing wrong with Beaver
Oh stewardess! I speak Jive.
Put it this way. If a kid came down positive with Covid 3 days later and someone was doing contact tracing, would the people they interacted with for about 30-60 seconds apiece count as “close contacts”? Would contract tracers follow up with them. Answer: no. They wouldn’t, because that wouldn’t be considered a high-risk interaction.
So yeah, we’ll trick or treat. People already can opt out of that if they want. Kids are not a big driver of Covid spread, and surfaces/brief outdoor interactions are low risk anyway.
Wait, where did you see that kids are not a big driver of COVID? Just saying that before COVID, kids would always be sick, getting their parents and teachers sick.
Contact tracing guideline is …15 minutes close contact with someone infected or that tests positive without a mask requires a test. So 30 seconds , wearing a mask and dropping candy in a bag would not require a test if someone tests positive.
We will be handing out candy and trick or treating …unless we are not feeling well and only then we would not participate. We have common sense.
Good to know I can lick your face for 25 straight seconds and its not considered high risk in your mind -_-
@Ricardus, check out the evidence reviews here: https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/evidence-summary-paediatric-covid-19-literature/
Or follow Alasdair Munro (one of the researchers who does the evidence review) on Twitter. Yes, this is unusual compared to the flu, for example, where kids and schools are absolutely a big driver of spread. It’s not that they can’t get or spread Covid, but they aren’t as likely to do so as adults.
@CoCo Commenter,
I promise that if I get Covid and have to list my close contacts, I will include anyone who licked my face for 25 seconds. I also promise that I won’t let anyone do that as part of trick-or-treating.
Thanks for the great response and link. I went down a rabbit hole reading his Twitter. Great to be able to have a civil conversation. I did read that children can have a higher viral load. But whether that means higher infectability is up for debate. I like how Aladair Munro is willing to change his mind. His most recent tweet was interesting as well. How will we be able to tell if it’s COVID? And this leads me back to my original worry. Kids were getting sick before COVID and we can’t differentiate. Quite worrisome.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center#:~:text=Most%20children%20who%20become%20infected,of%20spreading%20the%20infection.
At this point the County Health folks got no leverage.
The numbers they toute are false, the results of months of their balnoey have proven false and their lust for power is failing.
If they had any shame, they’d be hiding under rocks somewhere.
But no, they’ll be telling anyone who’ll listen just what a wonderfili job they did.
I’ll be treating this Holloween just like every other Holloween.
Of course they do. Hopefully, no one will listen.
Even LA reversed this stupid idea. I’m giving out a crisp 20 dollar bill to every kid that comes to my house on Halloween and says trick or treat.
So generous of you….kids in your neighborhood will be ecstatic! Happy Halloween!
Yes our kids will be trick or treating no matter what other illegal restriction our tyrannical government will try and impose on us.
Our kids have suffered the most this entire year, taking away playgrounds, theme parks, school, friends and family celebrations….. I will not let you take Halloween away, sorry…. I will NOT COMPLY!
address i have 3 kinds
We will be trick or treating! Stay at home with your lights off if you don’t want to participate in the holiday!
Sorry, but I keep my lights on to deter vandalism. You’re welcome to knock, but I won’t be answering.
@gittyup you afraid of your shadow too?
@mike I’ve had death threats that I didn’t take seriously until I discovered someone had been in my house when I was not home, rifled through my things, and helped themselves to others. A man with which I was acquainted attempted to force his way into my home one day when he got his foot wedged in the door and would not remove it. When you live alone, you take precautions. Nobody but an idiot would answer the door to strangers like that on Halloween, or any other time for that matter, under these circumstances. #KMA
Small groups with less than 10 people, masks and an outdoor activity. Seem to me going grocery shopping or making a trip to Walmart is a bigger risk.
We will be decorating and handing out treats. Call it a protest! Masks and costumes are required! All participants will receive an individually wrapped treat!
Hell no! We’re absolutely trick or treating. These kids have been through enough. Time to have some safe fun!
Yes, children of all ages (1 to100) welcomed at my door.
Yes!
What the hell is wrong with these politicians.Outdoor dining going to the grocery store getting a haircut.What is the difference in going trick or treating.Wear your mask no pun intended and use your Common sense.How much more control are we going to give these idiots.
I love my city. Happy Freedomween 2020. The only time I will wear a mask
I plan to have full size candy for any kids that come by. Just like every other year.
My house will be decorated and we will be handing out candy. Looking forward to it!
My kids will be going door to door and I will be passing out candy. It can be done safely. And it will probably be safer and cleaner that going to Costco or the grocery store and touching all the items there. The county shouldn’t get involved. If a family is doesn’t want to participate they they shouldn’t. Don’t restrict the ones that do wish to participate safely.
Democrat government officials seem to love squelching our lives.
They of course would not mind protesters gathering
I’m in.
Trick or Treat 🎃👻👍
Candy is wrapped. And in a box.
I will wear gloves, have on two masks and keep six feet away, or more.
And, yes, I would allow my child to participate.
I’ll be handing out masks to the parents and disinfecting wipes to the kids. Come on by.
Totally handing out candy and plan on trick or treating with kids.
I will be welcoming trick or treaters with my spooky porch decorations as usual handing out individually wrapped treats. Are we going to cancel Thanksgiving Day and Christmas celebrations, too? I think parents can make an educated risk analysis for their families participation..
@Doh.
Trick or Treating didn’t become a widespread tradition until the 1930’s.
So how could they have canceled it in 1918?
Was Halloween canceled due to the 1976-78 swine flu HOAX?
Yeah, read about that and how many millions big pHarma paid out for vaccine injuries.
@Anon
So when an effective vaccine is developed, it’s good to know that you’ll stay out of the way and let first responders and others at risk be protected. Thanks!
Trick or Treat!
Come to my house and candy you will get.
Go out and collect candy the kids will.
I doubt this ‘health director’ has ever added 1 +1 or applied a bandaid to anyone … His ‘doctor’ certificate is only because he knows how to doctor the numbers
Absolutely!
As we all know know, we are living day to day. That’s why it’s miserable and things seem to take forever. Halloween is 46 days away. How will anyone know how things will be in 46 days. Most don’t know what NEXT week will bring us. Wait till we get like a week away then make a decision.
Yes, I would still hand out candy to the little ones who come to the door in their costumes.
Not only should everyone trick-or-treat, Doc Farnitano and company deserve some eggs, TP, and maybe a flaming bag of dog doo.
Let the poor kids have some normalcy and fun. Heck, it will be just as good for the adults to see the kids have fun, let everyone feel normal for a little while. The whole country is dieing (no pun intended) for something uplifting and wholesome. I never see kids around my condo, but I’m tempted to get some candy and leave the porch light on for once myself.
People like you are the reason I don’t answer the door on Halloween. Suck it up, jerk. Not everybody loves your kids.
Ok. Not getting the connection, but you do you.
@Wage Slave Sorry you’re so dense that you don’t see this sentence as vandalism, ” … deserve some eggs, TP, and maybe a flaming bag of dog doo.” If I don’t want to answer the door to pass out candy to your brats, do you vandalize my property, too? Someone has done so in the past, and now you’re the prime suspect since you have expressed that you have those intentions.
“Someone has done so in the past, and now you’re the prime suspect since you have expressed that you have those intentions.”
Uh oh. Gittyup is on the case.
@Gittyup
Lol! You are so charming, I can’t imagine why anyone would put a flaming bag of dung on your porch!
Take your Metamucil, friend. I was making a light hearted and sarcastic jab at the control freak Dr Farnitano, not endorsing “vandalism.” And if it makes you feel better, I don’t have any kids.
If you would like, I would gladly purchase you a sign you could put in your yard warning all the local children that they are required to stay back from your property line the recommended six feet.
Hell ya I’ll be handing out candy…. without a BS mask! Enough of this farce!
200K dead is farcical? Is someone falsifying the numbers? Something’s going on. I’ll follow the advice of the medical professionals, not the politicians from other side of the sanity line.
Maybe they should postpone it until after the election, like the LA County Health Director suggests will happen with schools.
No fun before the election, can’t have that……might give people hope……..
This from the same people that told us to have s*x with our family members and to wear a mask while making love.
Our kids have had everything taken away from them.
We will be trick or treating.
Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and researcher of UCSF says that trick-or-treating should be safe provided that people physically distance and wear masks. Adults should be the one’s ringing the door-bells then step back and let the children receive the candy. She says that people need something to do, so she’s supporting trick-or-treating.
If you are going to hand out candy, be safe about it by wearing a mask and keeping your hands clean. People who are feeling ill shouldn’t be participating at all. Halloween would not the time for people to test their theories that Covid is a hoax. If you won’t wear a mask and take other common sense precautions, then don’t participate.
Unfortunately, there are going to be anti-maskers and Covid-conspiracy-theorists who are going to start commotions and arguments on Halloween..
Don’t forget they will also be cancelling Thankgiving and Christmas this year. Just waiting for the announcement.
Yes I will be handing out candy
Feel free to stop by
Outdoor activity? Check
Short time of interaction? Check
Interacting with a low number of people? Check
I say this is safe for me to hand out treats.
Exactly.
One more way they want to run our lives, personally I am sick and tired of the whole damn thing. The kids are the ones suffering. We will be doing Halloween. Next they will be trying to take Thanksgiving and Christmas away. We made it through other pandemics. Just stop.
LISTEN UP ALL YOU HATERS OF CHILDREN HAVING FUN! There WILL be trick or treaters! Go hide in your homes with your FEAR MASKS ON and let everyone else have fun for once this year!
No. No. No.
Halloween party with the family is our alternative this year.
Be safe out there.
😷 Covidween 2020
This sadly is a good idea to cancel. We will be in flu season on top of everything else. Kids can do at home celebrations and share on ZOOM with their friends and families. It is safer plus there are to many crazies out there.
I agree with the “…too many crazies out there.” part. Running around squashing fun and safe activities.
We’ll have our light on. Come by.
I’m planning on passing out candy with gloves and mask while socially distancing and decorating my house. The kids in our community are having a hard time right now and need a little glimmer of fun and somewhat normalcy. I agree with the UCSF doctor mentioned in the post above.
Too bad they want to see Halloween canceled. Everyone already has their masks.
Here’s a great idea for a candy slide that practices social distancing.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goodmorningamerica.com/amp/family/story/candy-slide-halloween-saved-72998264
Awesome idea!
Oh I am totally taking my kids trick or treating!
To all you grumpy and miserable folks that don’t think it is safe for kids, then do not participate and shut your porch light off. Super simple!
Trying to figure it out right now. We’re going to do something, just don’t know if it will be organized with friends and family or just go for it.
I think I’ll wait until the last week in October and decide then. I’ve always decorated the walkway and enjoyed seeing the better of the costumes.
@claycord is there some reason my posts are not being approved? Could you explain why my comments don’t appear?
That’s the most mature temper tantrum I’ve seen all day. Seriously, everyone gets a post pulled every now-and-then, not that I haven’t deserved it.
😇
@cowellian I didn’t post anything worth the mod censorship.
I mean come on…..
I was all set to turn off our lights and not hand out candy until this came out. Now I’m thinking about keeping the lights on, door open and bowl filled with candy to protest government tyranny. Mask optional.
ME TOO !!
I guess not handing out candy to antimaskers and their children during a pandemic isn’t a comment @claycord will approve.
I doubt t or t-ers are going to find many porch lights on even if those are the only comments allowed here.
@an iota of maturity…..Maybe if you post your comment 10 or 12 times you might get a response, just sayin’.
I guess ….
Nah! No kids come around way out here & it’s just as well… ever since that unfortunate Anthon Berg Liquors incident a few years ago I’ve been asked not to answer my door or give anything to the TOT kids.
I’m so tired of being told what activities we can and can’t do. The government should not be picking winners and losers. The county should instead be concentrating on the safety practices that we should all be doing to keep ourselves safe. As long as the group travelling together is safe together, the 30 second interaction at the door should pose no risk.
I have a cool Joe Biden mask. I am going to wander around the front yard mumbling and handing out candy. Happy Easter kids!
My trick or treaters over the past decades have been of decreasing average ages and travel in larger groups. Once last year when I answered the bell I counted 17 kids ranging from toddlers to upper elementary. In the driveway there was an army of mothers with baby strollers.
A couple of years ago a very nice, and elaborate yard display up the street was stolen overnight.
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