City recommends no trick-or-treating; asks residents to celebrate from home
Metro Wire Staff
The City of Stevens Point is officially asking the public to not participate in trick-or-treating this Halloween.
SEE: Cash prizes for spookiest, silliest, jack-o-lanterns
Trick-or-treating has been deemed a “high-risk” activity by the Centers for Disease Control and advises against the practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar events like trunk-or-treat are also not advised.
Also on the list of “high-risk” activities not recommended are haunted houses, and participating in hay/tractor rides with people outside of your household.
The CDC offers alternatives for celebrating Halloween in 2020:
- Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
- Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
- Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat candy search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
“I know this doesn’t sit well with some. Halloween is my favorite time of the year, too,” said Mayor Mike Wiza. “But parents usually check over the candy they get before allowing the kids to dive in and eat it, though. Why? To keep our kids safe. This is the same thing. There are safer options and we’re going to help with that.”
Wiza said he’s organizing a photo contest for residents to submit pictures of their costumes or home decorations. More information would be coming next week on the city’s website, he said.