Despite new CDC guidance, Philadelphia residents gear up for Halloween
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Be it witch, doctor, goblin or superhero, Spirit Halloween in Bala Cynwyd is fully stocked with all ages and ranges of costumes to fit the needs of most.
"Business has been awesome," said store manager Angelina Ferrell.
That's not to say precautions aren't being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Fitting rooms are closed, there are splash guards at the registers, and while items may be flying off the shelves, how they'll come into play remains to be seen.
"I'm not sure if they'll be treat-or-treating or not," Ferrell said.
Natalie Ward, like many in Philadelphia's Roxborough neighborhood, has already decorated her home for the holiday.
"If there's people giving out candy, we're still going to go out and trick-or-treat," said Ward.
According to new guidance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now officially discouraged trick-or-treating in 2020.
High-risk Halloween activities, according to the CDC include the following:
- Door-to-door trick-or-treating
- Trunk-or-treat events with treats handed out to large groups from trunks of cars
- Indoor costume parties
- Indoor haunted houses
- Hayrides/tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Going to a fall festival outside your community
Lacy Powell, who has done some pretty extensive decorating, said she'll trust the science.
"We're going to find some way to celebrate whether treat-or-treating happens or not," she said. "It's one year, our son is young, we can find other ways to celebrate."
Below are some of the low-risk Halloween activities mentioned by the CDC:
- Carving/decorating pumpkins with your family
- Carving/decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors/friends
- Decorating your home for the season
- Halloween scavenger hunt where children find Halloween-themed things while walking outdoors from house-to-house
- Halloween movie night with your family
- Halloween scavenger hunt style trick-or-treat search, where your household searches around you home for treats
