Fall Holiday Guidance- Kalamazoo County Health Department
KALAMAZOO COUNTY GOVERNMENT
In the Pursuit of Extraordinary Governance…
M E M O R A N D U M
The Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department (KCHCS) is providing the following guidance for the upcoming fall holidays. The public health guidance is based on the current Executive Order 2020-176 that applies to Kalamazoo County and holiday recommendations from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This guidance is subject to change if the State of Michigan or CDC issues additional information.
Executive Order 2020-176
For the purpose of this memorandum, social gatherings or organized events include: carnivals, festivals, live entertainment, activities, haunted house attractions, parties, fundraisers, and trunk or treating events.
Under the current executive order, social gatherings or organized events among persons not part of the same household are permitted provided that organizers and venues ensure that:
- Persons not part of the same household maintain six feet of distance from one another, including by designing the gathering or event to encourage and maintain social distancing;
- If a gathering or event is indoors, it does not exceed 10 people; and
- If a gathering or event is outdoors, it does not exceed 100
The above guidance applies to workplace gatherings and events (such as meetings and trainings), but does not apply to the incidental gathering of persons in a shared space. If social gatherings and events are held at a restaurant or bar, then those facilities must observe their specific licensing regulations.
Fall Holiday Celebrations:
KCHCS strongly encourages people to celebrate all holidays in a manner that reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19. It is advised that people continue the public health recommendations of washing your hands, wearing a face covering or mask, maintaining six feet from others, staying home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, and getting a flu vaccine. Since some traditional ways in which these holidays are celebrated are not permitted this year, please consider alternatives.
Religious holidays
Religious holidays such as Yom Kippur, Navratri, and Diwali typically include large gatherings and travel that may put people at increased risk for COVID-19. Before you host a religious holiday celebration, follow the CDC Considerations for Communities of Faith and the CDC Holiday Celebrations recommendations.
Halloween
KCHCS recommends following the guidance released by Michigan Department of Health & Human Services for homeowners, parents and trick-or-treaters (page 5-7). Additionally, the CDC also issued recommendations this week. Please note, the CDC considers trick-or-treating a high-risk activity and offers alternative activities as listed below as well as safety tips if parents and children choose to trick- or-treat.
Lower risk activities:
- Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
- Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
- Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
- Creating cards for older adults in Long Term Care Facilities to spread Halloween cheer to those socially isolated. KCHCS recommends calling the facility for requirements to
- Donating candy or care package items to troops abroad. KCHCS recommends calling the organizations for requirements to
- Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
- Having a virtual/online Halloween costume contest or pumpkin carving
- Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
- Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
- Having car parades, car contests, or car events for all ages such as:
- Drive by events or contests where individuals dress up or decorate their vehicles and drive by “judges” that are appropriately physically
- Drive through events where individuals remain in their vehicles and drive through an area with Halloween
- Drive in events where individuals can receive a treat bag (limited to commercially packaged non-perishable treats) or take away item from an organizer while the participants remain in their
- Going to Halloween movie nights at drive in theaters.
- Having Halloween themed meals at
- Dressing up homes and yards with Halloween themed
Moderate risk activities:
- Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard). If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the
- Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
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- Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
- A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the
- Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth
- Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
- If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
- Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart
- If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory
- Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
Higher risk activities:
It is the recommendation of CDC to avoid higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
- Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
- Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
- Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
- Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
- Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19
Dia de los Muertos
Lower risk activities:
- Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
- Playing music in your home that your deceased loved ones enjoyed
- Making and decorating masks or making an altar for the deceased
- Setting out pillows and blankets in your home for the deceased
- Joining a virtual get-together celebration
Moderate risk activities:
- Having a small group outdoor, open-air parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
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- Visiting and decorating graves of loved ones with household members only and keeping more than 6 feet away from others who may be in the area
- Hosting or attending a small dinner with local family and friends outdoors where people are distanced more than 6 feet part
- Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
Higher risk activities:
It is the recommendation of CDC to avoid higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Attending large indoor celebrations with singing or chanting
- Participating in crowded indoor gatherings or events
- Having a large dinner party with people from different households coming from different geographic locations
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
Thanksgiving
Lower risk activities:
- Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
- Creating cards for older adults in Long Term Care Facilities to spread Halloween cheer to those socially isolated. KCHCS recommends calling the facility for requirements to
- Donating food to the local food pantry rather than volunteer at a soup kitchen
- Congregate meal sites remain closed and have modified food distribution to “take-away” meals. Organizations hoping to assist with “take-away” options or “drive-thru” meals should contact their local food pantry, senior center, community center, or other non- profit
- Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
- Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
- Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
- Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home
Moderate risk activities:
- Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community where people are distanced more than six feet
- Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
- Attending a small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place
Higher risk activities:
It is the recommendation of CDC to avoid higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
- Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
- Attending crowded parades
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
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