Can You Go Trick Or Treating For Halloween In 2020?

14 October 2020, 15:58

The coronavirus pandemic is cancelling all our plans, but what about the age-old Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating?

Every year on Halloween kids dress up in their scariest outfits and knock on the doors’ of their neighbours in search of sweets, but the coronavirus pandemic might mean October 31 isn’t so much fun this year.

After some areas of the country were placed in the ‘very high’ Covid-alert level, meaning they’re on the strictest local lockdown, such Halloween traditions will prove difficult.

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The issue of receiving sweets from strangers may also put some parents off, as hand-washing and hygiene is more important than ever in 2020.

Social-distancing on people’s front porches may also prove a great difficulty.

So, can you go trick or treating for Halloween this year?

The government are yet to issue any official advice on whether kids can trick or treat in 2020, but local councils may have their own guidelines.

The country was split into three different types of Covid alert levels on 14 October; medium, high and very high.

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People in the medium tier must stick to the rule of six both indoors and out, meaning small groups of children and adults could technically be allowed to trick or treat.

The same can be said for people in high risk tiers, where households are not allowed to meet indoors but the rule of six still applies outdoors.

However, the neighbours opening the doors may not feel comfortable in the current climate on interacting with groups of people.

Those in the very high Covid-alert tiers are banned from mixing with other households completely, meaning those in the north east could face fines for going trick or treating.

The Department for Health and Social Care said areas in local lockdowns must ban trick-or-treating to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Instead, parents are being encouraged to take their children ‘pumpkin spotting’, much like at the start of the national lockdown where residents placed teddy bears in their windows for kids to count.

Again, this must only be done in household bubbles.

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