Halloween is one of the most famous American holidays, yet due to Covid-19, most parents, students, and administrators are debating whether or not it is safe to go trick or treating.

A major concern for the vast majority of parents is the idea that their children will contract Covid-19 while trick-or-treating.  Although social distancing has been proven effective to stop the spread of Covid-19, some parents take the side that social distancing is not a sufficient technique to protect their children from the virus. A parent responding to Rubri Patel on the Washington Post said, “I’m worried my son and daughter might catch the virus.”

 A study conducted by the CDC shows that Covid-19 particles can travel up to 26ft. Furthermore, while masks help stop the spread, many students don’t wear their masks properly during Halloween since many of their costumes restrict the ability to wear a mask correctly. In students’ opinion, masks clash with the central idea of their costumes. While masks can provide safety, they can make students uncomfortable with the way their costume corresponds with the protective covering. “ It ruins the whole idea of my costume if I wear a mask when I head out for the night,” Lillian Lowery says. The improper usage of masks further worries parents who are considering whether or not they should let their children participate in trick or treating. 

 Even though some parents, students, and administrators believe the holiday to be potentially dangerous due to Covid-19, Mrs. Carswell, the 7B English teacher, had something different to say. “I think kids should be allowed to go trick or treating…I think that you can easily social distance.” The majority of the public believes that the holiday can be carried out without the risk of sickness. Even though many people believe it is impossible to trick or treat door to door, one teacher at McIntosh came up with an innovative idea to give candy to trick-or-treaters. He took a tube and rested it on the frame of his second-story window, overlooking the garage. He and his wife then dropped candy through the tube for the waiting children to collect in a basket below. This occasion also has a social atmosphere where many students want to go out and have an enjoyable night out. Officer Lacourly further supports Mrs. Carswell’s claim by adding, “I believe it’s a fun holiday, … absolutely a wonderful thing for kids.” While the evidence can place many on the line of not participating in trick-or-treating, the bulk of the local population still admits that Halloween can take place without any consequential outcomes.

Covid has added new risks to Halloween, but what about the previous issues that have never wavered. The main precaution, excluding catching the virus, is not being seen by clueless drivers at night. Many costumes have limited colors and usually lean toward black or dark colors, eliminating the ability to see them in the night while driving. There are some easy ways to solve this problem, like wearing glow sticks on your costume.“ I think glow sticks not only add a pop of color to your costume, but they also show where you are on the dark streets … during Halloween,” Robin Sanders says. This could benefit many students because not only will their costumes stand out among their peers, but the fluorescent glow could warn drivers of the children that are crossing the roads. 

Although glow sticks help students be seen, there are some downfalls to these luminous solutions. According to the US news website in their article “ The Real Horrors of Halloween” they state, “ Dr. Henry Spiller, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s, says kids have gone to the emergency room after ingesting the liquid inside glow sticks that are worn on their wrists or around their necks so they will be visible to drivers in the dark. Children can also break glow sticks, splashing the liquid into their eyes and causing a burning sensation.” This shows that even though glowsticks can prevent children from being run over they still cannot be trusted to keep kids out of the emergency room. Since Dr. Henry Spiller’s studies have shown the consequences of this fluorescent liquid. 

Halloween is an exciting experience that gives kids the power to socialize and obtain candy with minimal adult supervision. From Covid to low visibility, the holiday has many concerns, but the majority still believe that children should be allowed to participate. Whatever side you are on just remember to stay safe. Witch or zombie, mummy or superhero, everyone needs to take the right precautions to have a fun and delicious Halloween.