San Rafael, CA – As Marin County families pull out decorations and costumes for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, they shouldn’t mask the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic can still be spooky.
The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is offering parents and kids safe and responsible options to celebrate Halloween (October 31) and Dia de los Muertos (November 1 and 2) while taking precautions to prevent the disease’s spread.
Health officials note that last year’s holiday season, starting with Halloween, fueled the largest of Marin’s four major surges of COVID-19 infections. This year, although the highly contagious delta variant is dominant in Marin, high vaccination rates are a cause for optimism.
“Last year we weren’t in a place to really celebrate together—that’s changed, thanks to the vaccine and the work of everyone in our community to control the virus.” said Dr Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer. “We need to stay mindful of our shared risks, but if we follow common sense precautions we can celebrate together.”
For those eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine, completing a vaccination series remains the best protection against the virus. The best starting point is Marin HHS’ vaccine finder webpage. Most children who are giddy about the eerie holidays coming up are still not eligible to be vaccinated, so it’s even more important for teens and adults around them to be fully vaccinated.
“Looking ahead, with our 5 to 11-year-olds nearly eligible to be vaccinated, it’s good news that we could feel even more secure about the remaining holidays,” said Dr Lisa Santora, Deputy Public Health Officer for Marin County. “Make vaccination part of your holiday planning: when everyone at home is vaccinated, we’ll all be better protected.”
Other recommendations include gathering outdoors instead of indoors whenever possible, wearing a face covering when close to others, skipping the festivities if not feeling well, and respecting one another’s personal space by avoiding crowding.
Over the counter rapid COVID-19 tests are also recommended for those who want an added measure of security, to help ensure those who are gathered together are not infectious. Tests can be performed at home before joining a gathering or offered at the door. Test results can be reported to Marin Public Health through the online self-test reporting form.
Here are guidelines for safety precautions when trick-or-treating with the youngsters.
- Wear a face covering or keep your distance from others to help reduce your risk of getting COVID-19. Remember, most costume masks does not provide trusted protection.
- Bring hand sanitizer and use it frequently. Wash hands after coming home, and especially before eating treats.
- Avoid distributing treats from inside the home; give them out from the porch or driveway.
- Place a table or another creatively decorated barrier between the treat-giver and the trick-or-treater to help with distancing.
- Monitor yourself and your family for symptoms for 14 days after participating in any holiday celebrations and activities. Pay special attention from days 3-7 because that is when people are most likely to develop symptoms.
If someone you had close contact with tests positive for COVID-19, that’s your signal to go get tested. To learn more about symptoms and testing, visit Marin HHS’ testing webpage. If you receive word about close contact and are not fully vaccinated, stay home to quarantine. Remain home and isolated regardless of your vaccination status if you do not feel well or if you test positive.
For information on what to do after an exposure or a positive test, visit the isolation and quarantine webpage. Much more is available on Coronavirus.MarinHHS.org.