The White House announced on Friday that it will continue to host a Halloween event this year. First Lady Melania Trump said in a statement that on Sunday “the White House grounds will open to ghosts, fairies, superheroes, tiny goblins and other costumed trick-or-treaters.”
It will be the Trump administration’s fourth Halloween festivity. This year’s event will be open to frontline workers, military families, and schoolchildren.
The first lady and president will greet those trick-or-treating who pass by the South Portico.
The first lady, however, did make clear that there are “precautions” being taken due to COVID-19.
The statement reads, “Extra precautions have been put in place by the Trump Administration to help ensure the health and safety of all guests wishing to participate in this year’s spooky celebration.”
Among the precautions include limited guest capacity and event hours being extended, those who are two years or older must wear a face mask, and “each department will utilize a no-touch approach in their area when distributing their product,” among other precautions.
This comes shortly before Thanksgiving where the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising that “staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.” The CDC has also suggested smaller dinners limited to those in people’s households are lower-risk.
As for trick-or-treating, the CDC recommends “[avoiding] direct contact with trick-or-treaters,” giving out treats outdoors, setting up “a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take,” washing one’s hands “before handling treats,” and wearing a mask.
“A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask,” the CDC also warns, adding that someone should not “wear a costume mask over a cloth mask” as “it can make breathing more difficult.”
There are more than 8.4 million coronavirus cases reported in the U.S. with over 223,000 deaths due to the virus, as of Friday, according to The New York Times. Several states, many in the Midwest, have seen surges in coronavirus cases in coronavirus infections, as IJR reported.
