Avoid Spooky Germs this Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner! While I know that many of us are excited to be spending Halloween out of quarantine this year, I would be remiss if I didn’t use this as an opportunity to remind everyone that we must continue taking precautions to help keep ourselves and those around us safe. Here are some fun tips and tricks to avoid spooky germs this Halloween.

Make candy easy to grab for kids

This Halloween, avoid throwing candy into a bowl for kids to grab themselves during trick-or-treat. Try creating something that will be easy for kids to grab without allowing them to touch or sift through candy. Encourage trick-or-treaters to touch one piece of candy by creating a sucker tree! Sucker trees are simple to create and prevent you from creating a multitouch surface. All you need is a Styrofoam circle, a pot (both can be found at the Dollar Tree), and of course – suckers! Kids will stay safe from germs and will love getting to pick their sucker flavor from the tree.

Another easy candy solution to avoid germs this Halloween is to create individual candy bags for trick-or-treaters. Create goodie bags with several pieces of Halloween candy to pass out to children instead of allowing them to pick from a big bowl. Another fun solution to avoiding germs!

Incorporate masks into your Halloween costumes

Masks are the perfect addition to any Halloween costume! Encourage your child(ren) and family members to incorporate a fun mask into their costumes this year. Whether you’re a superhero or a princess, there’s sure to be a mask to fit your costume. Masks not only prevent the spread of germs; they will also keep your face warm during trick-or-treat!

Be mindful of multi-touch surfaces

Now more than ever, we are aware of germs on multi-touch or high-touch areas. As we approach holiday season, it’s important to recognize the multi-touch surfaces at our celebrations. For example, if you are serving food during your Halloween party, try to avoid multi-touch surfaces by having a designated person serving everyone that comes through the potluck line. It’s always a good idea to have hand sanitizer set up before and after potluck lines during the holidays. During trick or treat, carry hand sanitizer for your child to use throughout the night. Bonus points if it’s Halloween themed!

Stay outside for Halloween gatherings

If the weather allows, take your Halloween gathering outside this year! As the weather starts to cool down, it’s a great opportunity to have a bonfire and outdoor games such as spooky cornhole or minute-to-win-it activities. Staying outdoors helps keep the spread of germs to a minimum and allows for better social distancing!

I know that we are all excited to be celebrating the holidays this year – Halloween included! To be able to continue celebrating, it’s important that we do our part in helping stop the spread of germs. What are some ways that you plan to celebrate Halloween safely this year?

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Jill Frey, President & CEO

Cummins Facility Services, LLC

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