Trick-or-treating not allowed in 3 New Jersey towns amid COVID-19 pandemic
NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- Three towns in New Jersey announced trick-or-treating will not be allowed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials in Glen Ridge said Tuesday that it is in the best interest of everyone that traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating will not be allowed from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1.
The Office of Emergency Management in Bound Brook and the mayor of Plainfield also announced all public Halloween events, including trick-or-treating.
Glen Ridge town officials said it is common for a homeowner to give out more than 1,000 treats and several streets in the borough experience large gatherings of people.
RELATED | CDC Halloween guidelines discourage trick-or-treating during COVID-19 pandemic
Glen Ridge is in Essex County, which leads the state in COVID-19 deaths with more than 2,100.
The CDC has determined that traditional trick-or-treating is a high-risk activity.
"With input from the Glen Ridge Board of Health, the Mayor and Council acknowledges the determination of the Center for Disease Control (CDC)and wishes to take action in a manner which safeguards the health of not only its residents but also the trick or treaters," officials said in a press release.
Officials say they know this will be disappointing for many children and are working to plan alternate events to help celebrate Halloween.
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
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
Some New Jersey residents said they were disappointed about the decision to cancel trick-or-treating.
"I am disappointed, I felt like we could really do it safely and I still think it should be an individual house decision," mom Danee Sarman said.
She said she is also concerned that this means families will crowd neighboring towns.
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