Trick-or-treaters on the downtown square / Photo: Todd Gill, Fayetteville Flyer

The Fayetteville Board of Health this week issued a set of guidelines that discourages traditional trick-or-treating and other high-risk activities that could lead to community spread of COVID-19 this Halloween season.

The guidelines include activities that should be avoided, but also list several alternatives for a safe holiday.

Activities to avoid:

• Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
• Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars
• Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
• Going to a haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
• Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household

Safe alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating:

• Small group, outdoor costume parades
• Outdoor pumpkin carving/decorating while social distancing
• Halloween scavenger hunt with lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while walking in a neighborhood
• Having an Easter egg hunt-style trick-or-treat search

For those who still want to trick-or-treat:

• Ensure all pedestrian traffic flows in the same direction
• Only trick-or-treat with members of the same household
• Wear a mask (see below) and maintain social distancing of at least six feet
• Individually wrapped goodie bags or treats should be lined up for families to grab and go at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard
• If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags

Tips for the safe use of masks:

• A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask
• A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose
• Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe
• Consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask