Halloween 2020: How To Celebrate Safely In A Scary Year

(CBS4) - With a nip of fall arriving this weekend, many families are now trying to decide how to handle Halloween this year. The CDC has issued guidance against traditional door-to-door trick or treating, events like "trunk or treating" as well as saying we should avoid haunted houses.

So how do we safely celebrate Halloween in the midst of a pandemic? That's one of the questions CBSN Denver asked CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida this week.

"Welcome to the 2020 version of Halloween," was Dr. Dave's first response. "Probably the best behavior at this time is to make things a little bit more family oriented, like pumpkin carving or maybe scary movies."

"Everything is really based on staying within your own group of people that you live with so there is a lower risk or spread or catching something."

"The recommendation if you are going to give out candy, perhaps you do individual little party bags and put them on your driveway or sidewalk for anyone who would come to your home."

Another important factor to consider is masks.

"A Halloween mask is going to provide you zero protection for yourself as well as others," said Dr. Dave. "The guideline there really is to have a protective mask that is Halloween-themed."

And when it comes to candy, Dr. Dave pointed out he's seen reports candy sales, especially chocolate, are already up this year.

"I have a feeling it's us grownups eating it rather than saving it for the kids. It's been a rough year."

We know new developments in the pandemic mean you have new questions. Dr. Dave joins us every Monday morning at 11 to answer those questions on CBSN Denver.