To many families’ delight, the night of fright isn’t in plight.
Last week, the COVID-19 Community Task Force announced that it will not be canceling Halloween festivities in Bartholomew County.
The decision by local officials came a few days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised all Americans against holding traditional trick-or-treating, "trunk-or-treating," hay/tractor rides and indoor costume parties.
Local task force members believe that many Halloween festivities can be done in a safe manner in Columbus this year, and have set trick-or-treating hours for 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Oct. 31.
The decision to not cancel the tradition is the right call by the task force.
Like county and state health officials have allowed over the past few weeks, it should be up to the individuals participating in the event to practice safe, healthy habits.
Families not comfortable walking door-to-door with their children can find alternative ways to celebrate the day, and those uninterested in having visitors already have a proven deterrent — leaving outside lights off.
County health officer Brian Niedbalski said that children and adults out and about on Halloween night should continue to wear masks — which shouldn’t be a problem given the occasion — and physical social distancing should still be maintained.
He also said that children should only take individually wrapped items, and to avoid any homemade treats, and that the task force will be providing some suggestions as to how to have a safe Halloween as the day draws closer.
Should any major COVID-19 changes occur locally before Halloween, officials said they’d revisit the decision — as they should. Right now, the chances look promising, as Bartholomew County’s most recent indicators have shown that the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are currently "minimal" for the area.
Safety still needs to be a top priority as residents grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, but there also has to be some compromise. Now that the decision has been made, it’s up to the community to help keep the spread down.
