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
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.