photo or infographic by Heather Jackson
Trick or treating gets candy crushed by CDC
New Halloween rules take safety too far
Even though people have been getting back out in society regularly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted considerations on Halloween gatherings and trick or treating to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on September 21.
The CDC’s recommendations should not affect this holiday’s celebrations and traditions because Halloween is no different than the exposure people have been experiencing every day.
Students have been returning to school amid the pandemic. Desks are sanitized, masks are worn and social distancing is encouraged. Even with these precautions, they do not stop students and staff from everyday exposure. Students still touch dirty door handles, come within six feet of one another and share germs with everyone and everything around them. Despite all of this the school has only had four total cases of COVID-19, students and staff, since the beginning of school according to the Willis ISD COVID-19 dashboard. The risk of exposure is what students and staff deal with on a day to day basis, and it has not caused any extreme problems for the campus.
Adults and children go shopping regularly for everything from clothing to groceries. Children walk around touching everything in sight with no mask on. Adults walk in with their mask for appearances and pull them over their chins as soon as they pass the front doors. The risk of exposure to COVID-19 and new germs is around every corner. Halloween festivities are no different than these everyday experiences of people around the country. These celebrations should not be affected by the CDC’s recommendations such as the one encouraging online gatherings.
Those in favor of the CDC’s recommendations may believe that online gatherings and restrictions on trick or treating are good ways to prevent a spike in coronavirus cases, but those activities are no different and pose no greater risk than the risk of exposure people are experiencing everyday. Touching cereal boxes, trying on shoes and walking into the grocery store are no more dangerous that children trick or treating.
The CDC’s recommendations should not affect celebrating this Halloween. Be safe, use common sense and celebrate this upcoming holiday.
Ambrose Leims • Oct 16, 2020 at 12:23 PM
Agreed, get your rules and regulations out of my Candy Day
byanka • Oct 16, 2020 at 12:17 PM
no they should not cuz im trying to dress up with wigs and my onesie with my friends
John PIcklesimer • Oct 16, 2020 at 12:09 PM
I disagree,the CDC are right in believing that this would spike COVID 19 cases, and your entire argument is basically, “Well they’re doing this, and this is ok, so why can’t we do this?” even though what people have been doing here in Texas in regards to their masks and social distancing has been warned against, yet we keep doing it. It isn’t ok,it’s just that no one here cares.
allyson • Oct 14, 2020 at 12:49 PM
i agree that if we be safe while trick or treating we should be able to have fun while doing it
Emily Canaday • Oct 14, 2020 at 12:45 PM
I agree.