The province of New Brunswick has issued the following guidelines to ensure a safe Halloween for trick-or-treaters and treat-givers:

• Anyone at higher risk should avoid participating in Halloween activities. This includes people with medical conditions (such as heart disease, high blood pressure, lung disease, diabetes, cancer), people with weakened immune systems from a medical condition or treatment, and older adults.
• Do not leave your home if you are ill and/or currently have COVID-19.
• Informal indoor and outdoor celebrations are permitted with a maximum of 50 people, and you are advised to keep a list of participants.
• Any businesses, organizations or groups that plan events, such as malls, are required to have an operational plan for any Halloween activities, must keep a list of participants, and physical distancing must be ensured.
• Door-to-door trick-or-treating is permitted if Public Health advice is followed.
• If children in your household go door-to-door, they should minimize contact with anyone in your family and friend bubble who is at higher risk for several days following Halloween.

Follow usual Halloween safety guidelines to ensure you and your child are safe while going door-to door. Please note that this advice warns against wearing a costume mask, however anyone participating in Halloween outside of their home is advised to wear a community face mask unless exempt;

• An adult should be present to supervise children who go out trick-or-treating.
• If older children must go out without an adult, plan in advance the specific route they will follow and what time they must return by.
• Try to limit trick-or-treating to one neighbourhood only and keep track of where you go.
• If providing treats:
  • Wash or sanitize your hands before touching treats.
  • Do not offer home-made treats.
  • Do not permit children to take candy from a bowl of treats unless the treats are arranged so that children won’t come in contact with other treats when they grab theirs. Doing up individual treat bags is a good option.
  • Consider offering non-food treats such as stickers, small toys, colourful pencils, note books or erasers, colouring books, activity passes, or books. Non-food treats are a healthier option than candy any time of year.
  • Make an effort to frequently disinfect any high touch areas, such as hand rails, doorbells or door knobs.
• If you or someone in your home is in a higher risk group, you may choose to put a sign on your door such as “Have a Happy and Safe Halloween: No Visitors Please.” Click here to download a sign. Printed signs are also available for free at the Blackville Municipal Office.
• Children must wash their hands before they leave their home and when they arrive home at the end of the night. Children must also wash their hands prior to eating any treats. Parents should ensure they have hand sanitizer with them to wash their child’s hands if they become soiled.
• Consider organizing an event in your neighbourhood that allows people to stand in their driveways or on their porch to watch children walk by in their costumes. Those in the costume parade must maintain distance from other families and should also wear a community face mask.
• Activities such as haunted houses are permitted, as long as they follow the same Public Health advice, including distancing, that is required of other gatherings.
• Don’t include any activities that pose a high risk for transmission (e.g. bobbing for apples, decorating cookies).