COLUMBUS, Ind. — The COVID-19 Community Task Force is urging local residents to avoid Halloween activities that pose a high or moderate risk of spreading COVID-19, including traditional trick-or-treating, as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the state.
On Wednesday, the task force issued a statement encouraging people not to engage in traditional residential trick-or-treating “where treats are handed out and received with close-contact,” attend indoor costume parties or gatherings where public health guidelines such as wearing masks and social distancing are not followed, among other activities.
Instead, the task force recommends virtual gatherings, carving pumpkins and treat scavenger hunts with the members of the same household, according to the statement.
More information about how to safely celebrate Halloween can be found on the task force’s website: covid19communitytaskforce.org/halloween/.
The task force, which was formed in February, includes representatives from Columbus Regional Health, the Columbus mayor’s office, Bartholomew County Health Department, Bartholomew County Emergency Management, BCSC, Cummins Inc., among others.
Members of the task force did not respond to multiple inquiries from The Republic seeking comment.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
