Lockhart officials provide Halloween guidelines

LPR staff report

The Lockhart City Council on Thursday discussed official plans for trick-or-treating amid the COVID crisis, sharing guidance for Halloween and outdoor gatherings.
The City will not schedule times or dates for trick-or-treating. Whether to trick-or-treat or hand out candy is up to each individual.
While the city will place no restrictions on trick-or-treating, those who participate are urged to take care and do their part to avoid spreading COVID-19.
According to Lockhart Mayor Lew White, trick-or-treaters should walk in small groups with people from their immediate households, keep at least six feet of distance from people not in their immediate households, and wear a facial covering over their noses and mouths.
“We want everyone to have a safe, fun Halloween, but we need people who choose to participate in trick-or-treating and Halloween festivities to behave responsibly and make good decisions,” said White. “If you go trick-or-treating, we ask everyone to wear a mask, practice social distancing from people who are not in their immediate households, and make sure you wash your hands once you get home. And if you are sick or not feeling well, please stay home.”
As for how to safely distribute treats, the CDC recommends one-way trick-or-treating, which involves placing individually-wrapped goodie bags at the end of a driveway or edge of a yard for families to grab and go, or a bucket of candy from which trick-or-treaters can help themselves.
In either case, placing a container of hand sanitizer on the table is recommended.
“If you want to hand out candy, please do it responsibly, and if you’re feeling ill, please do not hand out candy,” said White. “If you’re healthy and you wish you to participate, turn on your porch light. If you don’t, leave the light off. As far as signaling participation goes, it’s the same as it was before the pandemic.”
Gatherings
In accordance with an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott, outdoor gatherings are limited to 10 people or less.
“Gov. Abbott has loosened some restrictions, but his executive order that limits outdoor gatherings to 10 people or less remains in effect. It is easy for us to tell when there are more than 10 people gathering,” said Lockhart Chief of Police Ernest Pedraza. “Please follow proper protocol if you are gathering with others.”
“And, even when outdoors, all individuals must wear a face covering over the nose and mouth whenever it is not feasible to maintain social distancing from others,” Pedraza added.

CDC Guidance for Halloween
According to the CDC, traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. The CDC says Halloween activities fall into one of three categories – lower risk, moderate risk and higher risk. To see the CDC recommendations, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween.