Governor Charlie Baker held a press conference from Salem on October 6, where he discussed
Plans for Halloween in Massachusetts.
Baker said that Halloween will still be allowed to happen this year, but he urged residents to participate in activities with caution.
He said that “the reason we’re not cancelling Halloween is because that would have turned into thousands of indoor Halloween parties, which would have been a heck of a lot worse for public safety and for the spread of the virus than outdoor, organized, and supervised trick or treating.”
Baker said that “we will be putting out tips and advice with respect to Halloween.” He continued, “You won’t see us put out what I would refer to as rules or mandates.”
He said that “we do want local communities, in this particular case, given how different many of our communities are across the Commonwealth, the opportunity to make their own call with respect to how they want to see Halloween operate.”
When it comes to trick or treating, the governor said that the “best way to treat Halloween is to trick or treat safely,” in small groups, and avoid crowds.
“Wear a mask,” he said, “and not just a mask of Superman or Wonder Woman, like a real mask.” He also advised homes who would like to give out treats to do so using a cookie sheet with “some sort of little candy bag or wrapped candy itself.”
For those who want to hand out candy, he said they should wear a mask, keep interactions with people “very short,” and to wear gloves. He also advised parents to check their kids’ candy before eating, as always.
Baker strongly advised against indoor gatherings and parties, calling them “a really bad idea.”
He said that “people ought not to have indoor gatherings with their friends and neighbors,” and “the best thing you can do if you want to celebrate halloween is find a way to get outside and just be careful and cautious, wear a face covering, keep your distance, and take advantage of all the guidance thats been out there previously about the best way to avoid further infection.”
Baker said that with the guidance from the state, local communities can make their own decisions regarding Halloween. “I think our view on this is there are some very simple things that people can do to manage their kids and themselves with respect to halloween, outdoors, that most people would agree is a heck of a lot safer than what they might choose do as an alternative,” he said.