Halloween in Rhode Island will be different

COVID is not the trick we were looking for

Kelly Deignan, Journalist

On October 31, Halloween will be very different due to the spread of COVID-19, according to Governor Gina Raimondo. This year, the state government has declared the strict regulation that groups must keep a maximum of fifteen people or less for any Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating, parties, apple picking, and more. There are alternatives for this, like decorating Halloween-themed masks, having Halloween-themed scavenger hunts, or hosting neighborhood contests to see which household has the best outdoor Halloween decorations. 

Freshman Bella Wilkinson said, “I think it would be nice to bring the community together that we wouldn’t normally do in normal times.”

There is no denying that Halloween will be different, but what is to come is an opportunity to do things that wouldn’t normally happen. On Halloween, you would normally want to pick out a costume, and then go trick-or-treating, but this year such activities are discouraged because it is hard to remain socially distanced. 

“I am planning on going out trick-or-treating, but this year I will have to decide on a costume that I can incorporate a mask into,” Cailyn Duva, a sixth grader from Davisville Middle School, said.

The governor made clear that a costume face mask will not be enough to protect others from COVID-19. Trick-or-treaters who choose a costume that include a costume mask will be required to wear a surgical mask or polypropylene, a cotton/propylene blend, or two-layer cotton mask underneath their costume mask. Thus, the safest thing to do this year is to choose to wear face paint or Halloween themed protective face coverings. 

With this year being very different from others, it is important to keep the “3 W’s” in mind: wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.  People need to be aware of what to do to keep themselves and others safe on such an important night.