In a year that's been plenty scary, this much is clear: Pandemic Halloween will be different than regular Halloween. Many traditional ways of celebrating are now considerably¹ more frightful² than usual, because now they bring the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

 

在这相当恐怖的一年里，有一点十分清楚：疫情期间的万圣节将与以往不同。由于担心会传播新冠病毒，许多传统的庆祝方式比往常更加可怕。

 

Accordingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines on how to celebrate Halloween safely. No big surprise: Classic door-to-door trick-or-treating and crowded, boozy costume parties are not recommended.

 

The CDC's guidelines group Halloween activities into lower-risk, moderate-risk and higher-risk buckets.

 

The higher-risk category includes both door-to-door trick-or-treating and events where kids get treats from the trunks of cars in a big parking lot.

 

Also no-nos: indoor haunted houses where people will be crowded and screaming, which could send infectious particles flying. Going on hayrides with people who aren't in your household or fall festivals in rural areas also carry a risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. And using alcohol and drugs "can cloud [judgment] and increase risky³ behaviors," the CDC warns - though that's equally true in any season.

 

The agency says this way of trick-or-treating poses a moderate risk (compared with the higher risk of the traditional style): Kids could pick up individually wrapped gift bags at the end of a driveway or yard while still preserving social distance.

 

You could also organize a small outdoor costume parade where everyone is 6 feet apart. An outdoor costume party would also be considered moderate risk, if people wear masks and stay 6 feet away from each other.

 

Haunted houses are out, and haunted forests are in. The CDC says an open-air scare-fest is moderately risky, so long as the route is one-way, people wear masks appropriately and stay 6 feet apart. But there's a caveat⁴: "If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised."

 

What about apple picking and pumpkin⁵ patches? Risks can be reduced if people use hand sanitizer before touching⁶ pumpkins⁷ or apples, wear masks and maintain social distance.

 

Also on the moderate-risk list: an outdoor scary movie night with local friends who are socially distanced. Again: The more screaming there is, the more space is needed for safe social distancing.

 

If you want to be really safe? Then you need to plan for either virtual activities or ones that you do largely with your own household.

 

The CDC's lower-risk activities include carving⁸ pumpkins with your household, or outdoors with friends while socially distanced. It also suggests a Halloween scavenger⁹ hunt: looking for witches, spiderwebs and black cats outside houses while walking around — or a scavenger hunt for treats in your own home.

点击收听单词发音