Published: Monday, 26th October 2020
As we prepare for the spookiest night of the year, Norfolk County Council, the borough council, and partner agencies are asking children and families to celebrate Halloween safely.
Leader of Norfolk County Council and Chair of the Norfolk Covid-19 Engagement Board, Andrew Proctor, said: “Across the country and across Norfolk, the cases of coronavirus in the community around us are increasing. We must all do our bit to keep the spread as controlled as possible, and part of that means finding new ways to do things.
“There’s no reason not to have fun on Halloween but this year is one to celebrate at home to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. We know this will have an impact on future events such as Bonfire Night and Remembrance Sunday but as things currently stand it’s best for everyone.”
Norfolk Constabulary’s Temporary Assistant Chief Constable, Julie Wvendth, said:
“We have all been working well together locally in our efforts to stop the spread of the virus and we see Halloween as another opportunity for Norfolk to celebrate differently and therefore safely. While we don’t want people to stop having fun there are many other ways we can highlight Halloween without breaking the rule of six or social distancing and we will make every effort to support people in celebrating in this way.”
No to trick or treating
Traditional trick or treating isn’t advised this year, due to the increased risk of virus transmission that comes from common touch points (think doorbells / knockers / sweet containers) and increased close contact with crowds of people.
Celebrate differently
There are many alternatives that mean you can still enjoy a memorable evening, including:
- Be creative: create a pumpkin trail where you live so everyone can join in without knocking on doors.
- Be virtual: consider an online party with decorations, fancy dress and themed food. Play Halloween games, bake Halloween treats or tell spooky stories.
- Be social: take pictures of your spooky costumes and activities to share on social media.
- Be colourful: dress up the outside of your house with Halloween decorations for you and your neighbours to enjoy.
- Be treat-wise: buy your own sweets to give to your children so they don’t miss out.
- Be bright: if you carve a pumpkin, use a battery-powered light inside it to reduce the risk of fire.
If you want to scare, know what to wear!
The purchase of your spooky costumes is important too. Shop safely and avoid buying flammable costumes by:
- checking the CE mark on the label
- reading the safety information
- only buying from trusted places
To ensure everyone enjoys a Covid-safe Halloween, a social media campaign will be launched to give tips and advice on how to play safe.
