23 October 2020
| Celebrating Halloween differently this year: keeping Covid-safe |
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As we prepare for the spookiest night of
the year, Norfolk County Council and partner agencies are asking children and
families to celebrate Halloween safely.
Leader of Norfolk County Council and Chair
of the Norfolk Covid-19 Engagement Board, Andrew Proctor, said: “Across the
country and across Norfolk, the cases of coronavirus in the community around
us are increasing. We must all do our bit to keep the spread as controlled as
possible, and part of that means finding new ways to do things.
“There’s no reason not to have fun on
Halloween but this year is one to celebrate at home to prevent further spread
of the coronavirus. We know this will have an impact on future events
such as Bonfire Night and Remembrance Sunday but as things currently stand
it’s best for everyone.”
Norfolk Constabulary’s Temporary Assistant
Chief Constable, Julie Wvendth, said:
“We have all been working well together
locally in our efforts to stop the spread of the virus and we see Halloween
as another opportunity for Norfolk to celebrate differently and therefore
safely. While we don’t want people to stop having fun there are many other
ways we can highlight Halloween without breaking the rule of six or social
distancing and we will make every effort to support people in celebrating in
this way.”
No to trick or treating
Traditional trick or treating isn’t advised
this year, due to the increased risk of virus transmission that comes from
common touch points (think doorbells / knockers / sweet containers) and
increased close contact with crowds of people.
Celebrate differently
There are many alternatives that mean you
can still enjoy a memorable evening, including:
Be creative: create a pumpkin trail where you live so
everyone can join in without knocking on doors.
Be virtual: consider an online party with
decorations, fancy dress and themed food. Play Halloween games, bake
Halloween treats or tell spooky stories.
Be social: take pictures of your spooky costumes and
activities to share on social media.
Be colourful: dress up the outside of your house with
Halloween decorations for you and your neighbours to enjoy.
Be treat-wise: buy your own sweets to give to your
children so they don’t miss out.
Be bright: if you carve a pumpkin, use a
battery-powered light inside it to reduce the risk of fire.
If you want to scare, know what to wear!
The purchase of your spooky costumes is
important too. Shop safely and avoid buying flammable costumes by:
checking the
CE mark on the labelreading the
safety informationonly buying
from trusted places
To ensure everyone enjoys a Covid-safe
Halloween, a social media campaign will be launched to give tips and advice
on how to play safe.
ENDS
More information on the safety of costumes
can be found here:
https://bit.ly/3mjVdYV
For
political comment For details of cabinet members, committee chairs and agendas, please see: www.norfolk.gov.uk/cabinetandchairs Group leaders’ and councillors’ contact details are available at: www.norfolk.gov.uk/countycouncillors For further information please contact: Communications Team at Norfolk County Council Tel: 01603 228888 Email: pressoffice@norfolk.gov.uk |