Community groups for four neighborhood-based options will offer an alternative to the traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating method this Halloween. The community events will be held, with all standard safety precautions, at the following four locations on Saturday, Oct. 31:
- Berston Field House, 3300 N. Saginaw St., 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Latinx Technology and Community Center, 2101 Lewis St., 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Flint Development Center, 4121 Martin Luther King Ave., 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced new safety precautions for Trick-or-treaters in a press release on Wednesday.
“Our whole world is different this year and so too is Halloween. We are pleased to be able to join forces with community partners to provide these options to families seeking safe places to trick-or-treat,” Mayor Neeley said.
Door-to-Door Trick-or-Treating
For those who still wish to go door-to-door, the official hours for trick-or-treating in the City of Flint are tentatively set for 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. Mayor Neeley urges caution for those trick-or-treating and those distributing candy.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend the following guidelines:
- Do not participate if you are sick.
- Wear a cloth mask that covers both the mouth and nose. A Halloween mask is not a substitute for a real mask.
- Wash hands often or frequently use hand sanitizer containing at least sixty percent alcohol.
- Maintaining social distancing of at least six feet.
- Use duct tape to mark spaces six feet apart for lines.
- Distribute candy outside, not in your doorway.
- Use a no contact method of distributing treats such as a disinfected table or candy tube.
Indoor gatherings still limited to twenty people
For those who wish to hold gatherings, consider virtual options. In-person meetings should have adequate space for social distancing, avoid food and drink sharing, and be stocked with adequate sanitation supplies. Limit these to as few people as possible. Indoor gatherings of over twenty people are prohibited by Executive Order from the governor.
Dr. Lawrence Reynolds, Medical Advisor to the Mayor, said every household should consider if the increased exposure is worth the risk to themselves, other family members and their contacts. He also stressed that the safest way to celebrate is at home.
“We remain in a pandemic and we must use caution,” Dr. Reynolds said. “If you do decide to participate, please closely follow the latest guidelines and precautions.”
Further MDHHS info with guidance on how to celebrate safely can be found at this link https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/Halloween_Guidance_703282_7.pdf
The latest information regarding COVID-19 is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus
EVM reporter Coner Segren can be reached at csegren@umich.edu
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