Oswego County Today’s Halloween 2020 Guide

OSWEGO COUNTY – With Halloween right around the corner, Oswego County Today has compiled a guide for navigating the holiday during the time of COVID-19. 

Local Trick-or-Treating opportunities:

October 24: Trunk-or-Treat at the Fulton Family YMCA, 3 to 4 p.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Free for YMCA members and $5 for non-members. More information can be found here.

October 30: Drive-thru trick-or-treating at Pulaski High School, 5 to 7 p.m. Free event.

October 31: Drive-thru trick-or-treating at Oswego Speedway, beginning at 1 p.m. Free event. More information can be found here.

October 31: Drive-thru trick-or-treating at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse from 10 a.m. to noon. Free event. Register here.

October 31: Drive-thru trick-or-treating at Ringgold Field in Pulaski, 4 to 7 p.m. Free event. Organized by Play it Forward and the Ringgold Fire Department. Use the Route 13 (Car wash) entrance as the field will be a one way path. Vehicles will travel through the designated course and exit by Dunbar Field. More information can be found here.

Although community trick-or-treating is allowed, there are some safety tips to keep in consideration to prevent the spread of the virus. 

The following are tips issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

For those planning to give out treats:

• Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters.
• Give out treats outdoors, if possible. 
• Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take. 
• Wash your hands before handling treats. 
• Wear a face mask.

For those trick-or-treating:

• Wear a cloth mask – this can be incorporated as part of your costume. 
• A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. 
• It is not recommended to wear a costume mask over a cloth mask as it can make it more difficult to breathe.
• Masks should not be worn by children under two or by those who have trouble breathing. 
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people who do not live with you, indoors and outdoors. 
• Bring hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) with you and use it after touching objects or other people. 
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds once you get home and before you eat any treats. 

“Many of the traditional Halloween activities that people participate in, such as door-to-door trick-or-treating and indoor costume parties, are considered high-risk; meaning that they could easily spread the virus and lead to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang.

Huang recommends that people follow the CDC guidelines and take part in alternative activities, such as a virtual costume contest or a drive-through car parade, that have a lower risk of spreading infections. 

Other low risk activities include:

• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household.
• Carving or decorating pumpkins with neighbors or friends at a safe distance outside.
• Having an outdoor Halloween-themed scavenger hunt.
• Having a Halloween movie night with members of your household.
• Decorating your living space or house with Halloween decorations.
• Driving or walking through the neighborhood to admire Halloween decorations from a safe distance.

“Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is waiting for test results, or has symptoms of the virus or may have been exposed to someone who has it in the last 14 days, or is at an increased risk of severe illness from the disease, should stay home and not participate in in-person holiday celebrations,” said Diane Oldenburg, senior public health educator for the Oswego County Health Department. “Don’t forget that gatherings of 50 people or more are still prohibited.”

More information from the county health department can be found here.

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