Halloween Safety Tips

Think safety first as you prepare yourself and your children for the excitement of Halloween.
With COVID-19 still playing a role in the holidays, remember to keep yourself and your children safe this Halloween.
Follow a few simple suggestions to avoid catching or spreading the virus:

• Get vaccinated against COVID-19 before the big day. Free vaccinations are available throughout Alamance County. Find a location here.
• Wear a cloth face covering anytime you are with people not from your household, especially indoors
• Avoid confined spaces.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not part of your household.
• Wash or sanitize your hands (and the hands of little ones) often.
• Stay home if you are sick or were recently exposed to someone with COVID-19. And if you have symptoms or you’ve been a close contact of someone with COVID-19, get a COVID-19 test.

Below are a few simple tips from the National Safety Council to help keep everyone safe during Halloween.

Motorists

• Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
• At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.

While Trick or Treating

• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you
• Agree on a specific time children should return home
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies
• Children and adults are reminded to put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street

Beware of costume hazards

• All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant
• If children are allowed out after dark, fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags, or give them glow sticks
• Opt for nontoxic Halloween makeup over masks, which can obscure vision; always test makeup in a small area first to see if any irritation develops
• Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation

Halloween accessories

• Knives, swords and other accessories should be made from cardboard or flexible materials. Do not allow children to carry sharp objects.
• Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape if children are allowed out after dark.
• Carrying flashlights will help children see better and be seen more clearly.