Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By THADD WHITE

Bertie Ledger-Advance

WINDSOR – The town of Windsor will allow trick-or-treating on Halloween.

“We are allowing trick-or-treating between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Halloween night,” Windsor Police Chief Justin Jackson said. “We encourage each family to choose for themselves whether or not participation is best for them.”

In this COVID-19 era, many communities have canceled Halloween, but Windsor leaders felt it best to make it available and allow families to choose – both whether to offer treats at their home and to allow their children to participate.

“Obviously, we would encourage social distancing as much as possible,” Chief Jackson said. “That won’t always be possible and we understand that, but we do encourage everyone to act safely.”

The chief suggested people follow guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Halloween.

They include:

Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters;

Give out treats outdoors if possible;

Set up a station with individually bagged treats for children to take;

Wash hands before handling treats; and

Wear a mask.

Chief Jackson said bagging treats to be taken or given out individually was not required, but something he would strongly suggest.

“If it is possible to individually bag the treats, that would be beneficial to everyone,” he said. “Certainly it may not be possible in every situation.”

For trick-or-treaters, the CDC recommends:

Make a cloth mask part of the costume;

Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask as it makes breathing more difficult; and

Do not use masks on children under the age of two or anyone who has trouble breathing.

The CDC also recommends washing hands and the use of hand sanitizer while trick-or-treating. Those recommendations include:

Bring hand sanitizer and use it after touching objects or people;

Use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol;

Parents should supervise young children with hand sanitizer; and

Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when arriving home and before eating treats.

For more information, visit the cdc.gov.

“Those who wish to have trick-or-treaters should leave their porch light on,” Chief Jackson said. “Those who do not should leave them off.

“We ask our parents who are taking their children trick-or-treating to pay attention to the porch light and only go where people have indicated they are welcome,” he added.

Trick-or-treating is open to children up to 12 years old. All minors should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

(This article is printed with permission. Thadd White can be reached via email at twhite@ncweeklies.com.)