Traditional Halloween activities that are “high-risk”
- Door-to-door trick-or-treating
- Hosting or participating in a “trunk-or-treat” program
- Going to an indoor haunted house where physical distancing isn’t practiced and screaming is occurring
- Doing activities outdoors where you cannot physically distance such as hayrides or tractor rides with those outside your household
- Engaging in high risk drinking behaviors that clouds judgement and increases risky behaviors
- Binge drinking (4-5 or more drinks during a single occasion)
- Participating in drinking games
- Allowing others to make your drink for you
- Pre-gaming before your activity
- Driving while under the influence of cannabis or alcohol
- Leaving Ames to attend a Halloween party or festival in an area with community spread of COVID-19
- Going to in-person costume parties at indoor bars, restaurants, houses, or apartments where physical distancing is not practiced and face coverings are not worn
Halloween activities that are “moderate-risk”
- Small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are practicing physical distancing
- Outdoor costume party with face coverings and where people are practicing physical distancing and are wearing face coverings
- Open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest/space where face coverings are worn by all and folks are able to physical distance.
- Visit a local pumpkin patch or apple orchard while wearing face coverings, practicing physical distancing, and using hand sanitizer prior to touching pumpkins or picking apples
- Having an outdoor movie night with a small group of friends who live in Ames and are practicing physical distancing
Halloween activities that are “lower risk”
- Carving or painting pumpkins with your roommates for display
- Carving or painting pumpkins outside with friends who live in Ames while practicing physical distancing and wearing face coverings
- Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
- Having a virtual Halloween costume contest with friends and family
- Having a Halloween moving night with your roommates
Overall Considerations
- Generally, costume masks are not a replacement for your normal face covering
- If hosting a costume party or movie night, please review our “Party Smart” information.
- As a general rule, “the greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.”
- If indoors, ensure the following for the duration of the activity:
- Physical distancing is being practiced
- Face coverings are worn properly
- Keep your group small (think 10 or less)
- Have hand sanitizer or soap and water available for guests to use
- If screaming or laughing is likely to occur, increase physical distance from those not in your household group.
- If eating or drinking, consider only moving your face covering down during the duration of consumption and moving it back right away. Practice strict physical distancing in these situations.
- Revised ISU COVID-19 Policy on Student Social Gatherings is here: https://www.policy.iastate.edu/policy/socialgathering
- FYI – Just because students may be in compliance with the revised COVID-19 Policy on Student Social Gatherings, does not mean that they would be in compliance with the Governor’s Public Health Disaster Declaration or the City of Ames Face Covering Ordinance.