With the onset of fall officially here, many children are beginning to wonder if they will still be able to enjoy Halloween festivities this year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has certainly put into question how this year's favorite fall event will look. To help in planning your family's festivities, you may want to take into consideration the latest Halloween guidelines recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Here is what the CDC has to say about the upcoming holiday and what you can do to protect yourself and your family from contracting the coronavirus during this time.

Lowest Risk Halloween Activities

You do not have to give up on all of your favorite Halloween traditions just because of the virus. Here are a few good ideas that are safe for most people.

• Carving or Decorating Pumpkins - This classic activity is still safe to enjoy. Engaging in this activity in your own home with only your immediate family makes it the least risky thing that you can do to celebrate the season. If you want to include neighbors, be sure to do it outside with plenty of space between the family groups.



• Dressing Up - You can still get all decked out for the holiday. If you want to show off your creative costume, consider hosting a virtual costume contest with all of your friends and family or within your favorite online community.



• Halloween Scavenger Hunt - If you live in an area that gets decked out for Halloween, it will be fun for little kids to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt. All that you need to do is to create a list of festive things to cross off your list as you walk or drive around areas. For example, spooky skeleton bones, a hay bale, or a witch's broom.



• Scary Movie Night - This is the perfect time of the year to get cozy under the blankets with a bowl of caramel corn and watch a scary movie with your immediate family. Make some caramel apples and pair them with a mug of apple cider for the ultimate fall treat.

Moderate Risk Halloween Activities

According to the new guidance by the CDC, here are some of the most common moderate risk activities that people may look toward if they are in an area that is not showing a high level of COVID-19 spread.

• Visiting the Pumpkin Patch - This can be a safer activity if you make sure to practice the recommended social distancing protocols, wear a mask, and regularly wash your hands throughout the visit.



• Attending an Outdoor Costume Party - As with everything related to COVID-19 risks, it is much safer to be outside than inside. Wearing a mask will also help to reduce your risk exponentially. Please note that a standard Halloween costume mask is not a substitute for a protective facial covering.



• Participating in One-Way Trick-or Treating - If you still want to hand out candy, consider making treat bags and setting them out in your yard for children to grab.

Highest Risk Halloween Activities

These are the activities that the CDC strongly recommends that people not participate in this Halloween season.

• Traditional Trick-or-Treating - Going door to door to unfamiliar houses to collect candy is a definite no-no this year.



• Participating in Classic Haunted Houses - It does not take a medical professional to know that walking through an indoor haunted house with strangers and people screaming is not a good idea during a global pandemic.



• Attending a Crowded Party - Attending a crowded indoor costume party is also putting your health at risk. This is especially true if people will be drinking alcohol, making them more likely to make riskier decisions with their health.



• Traveling - During a global pandemic, it is always a good idea to reduce your travel. If possible, stick close to home this Halloween so that you do not inadvertently spread the virus or bring it back to your community.

However you decide to celebrate Halloween, it is important that you do so with the possible spread of the virus in mind. No amount of Halloween celebratory activities are worth the chance that you may become seriously ill at the hands of this deadly virus.