COVID-19 information Guidelines for Celebrating Halloween Safely

You can stay safe by following public health measures, guidance from healthcare providers, and making good decisions about your own unique situation. That means this Halloween will look a little bit different, but it can still be a lot of fun! Here are some ways to stay safe.

General Public Health Rules and Guidance You CANNOT participate in Halloween festivities if:

• You must self-isolate because you returned to the NWT from somewhere other than Nunavut within the past 14 days.

• You feel sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19.

• You’re waiting to hear the results of a lab test for COVID-19.

• You or anyone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

• You have been told by a health care provider that you must self-isolate.

• You are in a household with someone self-isolating who has not maintained physical distance.

This includes trick-or-treating, handing out treats, or participating in gatherings indoors or out. Participation in Halloween festivities is NOT RECOMMENDED if:

• You or someone in your home is vulnerable or high risk, including:

• those with pre-existing chronic conditions,

• seniors and elders, and

• those who are immune-compromised.

• In a high-risk closed setting such as long term care or correctional facilities.

It’s almost time for Halloween – and we want northerners to stay safe while celebrating during COVID-19.

For more information, please visit www.gov.nt.ca/covid-19

Updated: October 5, 2020

Thank you for keeping the NWT safe!

COVID-19 information Guidelines for Celebrating Halloween Safely

Stick to the gathering limits• In a private home, you may have up to 5 additional persons from outside your household, as

long as the total number of people in the house does not exceed 10. For example, if your house as two people living in it, you can have seven over in total. If it has 6, you can have 10 over in total.

• Indoor gatherings (i.e., businesses and public spaces) cannot exceed 25 people unless an exception is approved for your event by the Chief Public Health Officer. Many bars and restaurants have been approved for greater capacity. Follow all facility guidelines if you go.

• Outdoor gatherings cannot exceed 50 people unless an exception is approved by the Chief Public Health Officer.

Businesses or organizations wishing to seek an exemption to have larger gatherings can submit a formal application to ProtectNWT by email at protectnwt@gov.nt.ca.

Tips for a Safe, Fun HalloweenTrick-or-treating

Best practices• Only trick-or-treat at places that clearly signal that they’re participating. This includes porch

lights on, a lit jack-o-lantern or decorations. People may not be participating for a lot of reasons. They may be sick, self-isolating, in a high-risk category, or just not interested.

• Keep your trick-or-treating partners to your household and Friendship Circle – the 5 people you like to spend time with most.

• Trick-or-treat in outdoor spaces as much as possible.

• Keep interactions brief at homes when getting treats.

• When approaching houses, take turns one at a time at the door and stay 2 metres (6 feet) from others.

• Keep mittens on the whole time you trick or treat. Once home, wash mittens and costumes. Wash your hands for 20 seconds. Do not touch your face with the mittens.

• Wash your hands often. This is especially important:

• before and after handling your non-medical mask or face covering,

• after touching frequently touched surfaces (i.e., door bells),

• when you arrive home from trick-or-treating, and

• before and after handling or eating treats.

Thank you for keeping the NWT safe!

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• Only trick-or-treat at places where you feel comfortable in the preventive measures that are being taken.

• Wash your hands well before and after handling and eating treats.

• Wearing a non-medical mask when you’re out is a good idea. If you can, be creative and make it part of your costumes.

Avoid• Trick-or-treating in indoor spaces like apartment buildings if possible.

* If you must trick or treat indoors, it is even more important to maintain physical distancing from those who aren’t part of your household or social bubble.

• Gathering on or crowding doorsteps.

• Singing or shouting for treats.

Giving out treats

Best practices• Maintain and encourage safe physical distance.

• Limit the amount of time interacting with trick-or-treaters. Encourage they move along after they get their treats from you rather than gather in one place.

• Frequently clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces (e.g., doorbells, handrails, door handles/knobs, doors) throughout the evening.

• Show that you are not participating in Halloween festivities by:

• turning off porch lights,

• not lighting a jack-o-lantern, putting out decorations, or

• not answering the door.

• Putting a friendly sign on your porch or door showing you’re not participating this year.

• Wear a non-medical mask or face covering when physical distancing of 2 metres (or 6 feet) cannot be consistently maintained. If you’re dressing up, consider including it as part of your costume.

• Hand out purchased and pre-packaged treats.

• Consider creative ways to hand out treats by using:

• a hockey stick, • tongs, or • a wrapping paper tube as a slide.

Guidelines for Celebrating Halloween Safely

Thank you for keeping the NWT safe!

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• Wash your hands often throughout the evening using soap and water and washing for 20 seconds or with hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

• Consider placing tape markers every 2 metres (6 feet) between doorways and sidewalks or driveways to promote physical distancing.

Avoid• Leaving treats in a communal bucket or bowl for children to grab. This prevents many hands

from touching the bucket at different times.

• Encouraging trick-or-treaters to sing or shout for their treats.

Haunted HousesHaunted houses are challenging settings during a pandemic. This activity requires extra work as haunted houses are made for screaming – and screaming produces a lot of respiratory droplets. That comes with much greater risk than trick-or-treating.

Things to consider • Holding outdoors is always best: if an open-air setting is possible, it will be safer.

• Allowing for physical distancing: try using glow-in-the-dark physical distancing markers on the floor/ground to keep people at-least 2 metres (6 feet) apart. If it’s possible, it would be better to do four metres. Bigger spaces are always best.

• Have a sign-in sheet: keep track of everyone who comes with contact information in case contact tracing is required.

• Patrons, staff/volunteers use of non-medical masks: requiring non-medical masks will help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling a long distance.

• You must control crowds: no more than 25 people can be indoors – and physical distancing must be maintained. Proprietors are responsible.

• Hand-washing supplies are a must: keep them on-site and stocked, and encourage guests to wash their hands frequently.

• Have people go through by household wherever possible: less mixing is always better.

Guidelines for Celebrating Halloween Safely