How to celebrate a safe Halloween, according to Alberta's top doctor
With Halloween planning underway, Alberta’s top doctor is reminding the public there’s still a need to celebrate responsibly.
During a provincial COVID-19 update on Oct. 21, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw did not mince words: “I’m asking Albertans as clearly and strongly as possible to please be wise and safe while celebrating this year.”
Anyone who is sick or experiencing even mild symptoms should stay at home and not hand out candy, she said.
She also reminded the public of the province’s current public health measures, which limit private indoor social gatherings for fully immunized Albertans to 10 people between two households. No private indoor gatherings are allowed by unvaccinated people.
“This is not the year for large Halloween parties. If you’re planning a Halloween gathering, try to have it outdoors and make sure the limit of no more than 20 people is observed, with two metres of distancing between members of different households,” Hinshaw told the public.
“The fun of finding the right costume and going out tick-or-treating is part of the joy of childhood, and we can keep this joy while at the same time protecting our communities.”
The province has published a list of tips for safe Halloweening.
Among the tips, it recommends anyone participating in trick-or-treating to be masked, sanitize frequently, to keep distanced from others, and stick with fellow household members.
“Last, year, we saw many generous Albertans get innovative when finding ways to safely deliver candy, and I heard from many Alberans who enjoyed the day. We can have fun with it this year with creative ways to celebrate the occasion.”
- From a pirate cannon, to Tiki statue, Edmontonians get inventive to deliver Halloween treats
- Edmontonians take part in spooky Halloween fun
During Halloween 2020, Alberta had about 5,600 active COVID-19 cases and some 140 patients in hospital sick with the disease. On Oct. 21, the province’s active case count was nearly double that, with more than 900 COVID-19 hospital patients.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.