A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
The County Seat Theater Company in Cloquet is getting creative this Halloween season with a drive-thru haunt and drive-in theater performance. The last two shows were Thursday and tonight with a few spots remaining. It's all part of a Halloween season that has taken a turn from usual years due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Alternatives to large gatherings and even the traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating are recommended.
With a full moon and above-freezing temperatures predicted for Saturday, it might have been the perfect Halloween.
Except we're in the middle of a pandemic and heading into a long cold winter with Covid-19 cases on the rise.
With all that in mind, Raiter Clinic Dr. Ken Ripp said "a hard no" to trick-or-treating as normal.
While handing out candy - with a mask and gloves - is probably not a super high risk for a healthy person with no underlying conditions, Ripp said it is the folks out trick-or-treating that are his biggest worry.
"In my neighborhood, it's big random groups of kids getting together, or parents and kids that run into each other and decide to walk together," he said.
"If that group happens to contain a superspreader, then you're done." He explained that different people shed different amounts of the virus, calling a superspreader a "virus factory."
Indoor Halloween parties should also be avoided, he said, adding that any indoor gathering of more than 10 people is unwise, especially now.
Instead, people should try to do things outdoors - and still social distance and wear masks, covering the nose and mouth (not solely the Halloween kind). Or people could get creative indoors with family members while carving pumpkins, or dressing up in costumes to watch movies together while munching on candy that came directly from the store.
If you plan to give out treats, Essentia Health pediatrician Dr. Jonathan KenKnight suggests sitting outside while wearing a mask and having prepackaged goodie bags to hand out, rather than having kids reach into a bowl for candy. Emphasize social distancing and have hand sanitizer available. It's also a good idea to thoroughly wipe down your child's candy after returning home, and then let it sit for a couple days.
Locally sponsored Halloween activities include trick-or-treating in downtown Carlton 1-3 p.m. Saturday, and a trunk-or-treat at New Life Community Church in Carlton 4-6 p.m. Just keep all the above guidelines in mind when deciding what to do.
Try to come up with a healthier alternative to the usual, Ripp said. After all, you want to be able to taste your Halloween candy - and with Covid sometimes the taste buds stop working, or worse.
"I hate to be a party pooper because I love Halloween," the father of three said. "I'm really hoping kids can do something fun and special, but it definitely can't be business as usual. Plus, it's probably not the kids who will end up really sick, it will be a parent, or a grandparent."
