Mask, Pool Noodle, and Hockey Stick: New Tricks for Trick-or-Treating Amid Pandemic

Mask, Pool Noodle, and Hockey Stick: New Tricks for Trick-or-Treating Amid Pandemic
Halloween decorations and pumpkins are shown at a house in Montreal, Friday, November 1, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Andrew Chen
10/13/2020
Updated:
10/14/2020

Canada’s top health official gave tips on Halloween trick-or-treating activities during a press briefing on Tuesday, as signs of a second wave of COVID-19 emerge across the country.

Dr. Theresa Tam, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, advised trick-or-treaters to maintain social distancing, use hand-sanitizer, and make sure treats are pre-packaged. She said extra fabrics can be used to turn face masks into parts of the costumes.

“There’s some really interesting ideas where people are handing out treats at the end of a hockey stick or something, using a pool noodle to tell your kids how far they should be standing apart from each other,” she said.

Canada added 1,725 new cases of coronavirus across the country on October 13th, with the highest concentrations in Ontario with 746 new cases and Quebec with 815.

“I think finding that balance to provide some degree of normality, even though it’s actually different from any other year,” Tam said. “Most public health leaders think that that is actually important, how do we adapt to the new reality, to the new Halloween.”

Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer, said Canadians will celebrate Halloween differently across the country, just as they have found creative ideas to safely enjoy Thanksgiving.

“I think Canadians are resilient, they can adapt,” Njoo said.

Tam advised parents to pay attention to local public health authorities, and said more tips concerning Halloween activities will be posted on the website of the Public Health Agency of Canada.