Los Angeles County tried to essentially cancel Halloween in wake of COVID-19.
The L.A. County Department of Health issued a memo Saturday announcing that trick-or-treating will not be allowed this year since "it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing." The release also explains there's no guarantee that the person answering the door is taking the appropriate precautionary measures, and providing candy that wouldn't put a child's health at risk.
It's also noted that "trunk or treating," or the act of children going car-to-car, instead of door-to-door, is also not recommended. But then again, when was it ever OK, pre-COVID, for a child to walk up to a random adult’s car in search of candy? As an alternative, the department suggests people create a drive-in event where bags can be handed out to attendees who remain in their vehicle.
L.A. County was also forbidding residents from holding Halloween gatherings, events, or parties with non-household members. However, the department softened its stance amid overwhelming pushback.
"Our guidelines have been slightly revised, so we'd ask that people go back and look at them to distinguish between those activities that are not permitted by the health officer order -- that includes events, gatherings parties -- those are just not allowed," Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Health, said, per ABC7.
The guidelines have changed such activities as trick-or-treating from "not permitted" to "not recommended."
