To help ensure a safe Halloween for all New Jerseyans, the Department of Health has released health and safety guidance for local officials, schools, organizations, and families.
The Department of Health strongly encourages everyone to wear a face covering that covers both the nose and mouth. Costume masks do not count as they do not provide the necessary level of protection.
The Department also strongly recommends all Halloween activities be held outdoors, as the biggest threats for viral spread exists indoors. All Halloween activities must adhere to the limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Indoor gatherings must be limited to 25 people or 25% of a room's capacity – whichever number is lower – and all attendees must wear face coverings and stay six feet apart. Outdoor gatherings must be limited to 500 people and social distancing must be practiced.
Trick-or-Treating
Those who plan to trick-or-treat should limit their groups to current household members, consider staying local, and limit the number of houses on their route.
For those putting out treats:
Best Option: Instead of placing treats directly in the bags of trick-or-treaters or filling communal bowls that multiple hands reach into, individually packaged candy should be arranged in a way that they can be easily grabbed without multiple pieces being touched.
You can also leave a treat bowl on a porch or table or in a place where it may be easily accessed while adhering to social distancing requirements
If you are handing out candy, please limit interaction or contact with trick-or-treaters, wear a face covering when individuals come to the door, and regularly wash hands.
Any candy given out should be commercially packaged and non-perishable.
Consider coordinating with neighbors to develop a system, such as signs or on/off porch lights, for distinguishing houses participating in trick-or-treating from those that do not wish to participate.
For outdoor "trunk-or-treating" (when children go car to car instead of house to house):
Wear a face covering.
Limit the number of participating cars to ensure adequate space for social distancing and help minimize crowds.
Ensure the outdoor area has sufficient space per car to avoid overcrowding and to allow adequate space for social distancing.
Follow the outdoor gatherings limitations in effect at the time.
Design the event in a long line, rather than a circle, to ensure social and physical distancing to discourage crowding.
Consider having assigned times or multiple shifts to minimize crowding during the event.
For more information and safety tips, refer to the Department of Health's Halloween Celebration Guidance.
NOTE: No one should participate in Halloween activities if they or a household member have a known exposure to COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and have not yet met the criteria for discontinuing isolation or were told to quarantine.