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CDC announces health, safety guidelines for Halloween activities

The CDC divided activities into low, medium and high-risk groups and discourages traditional trick-or-treating this year.

TEMPLE, Texas — It's spooky season, but with COVID-19 still prevalent, traditional trick-or-treating is a concept likely to be put on the wayside. 

According to CDC guidance, many of the traditional Halloween activities are fun, but some can increase the risk of getting or spreading the coronavirus. The CDC has created three categories from low to high-risk activities which include: 

Low-risk: Carving pumpkins, virtual costume contest, movie night

Moderate-risk: Visiting pumpkin patches, outdoor costume parades

High-risk: Traditional trick-or-treating, indoor parties, hayrides, indoor haunted houses

While McLennan and Bell Counties do not have any ordinances in place that ban trick-or-treating both are encouraging people to follow the CDC guidelines.

"You can still enjoy Halloween and dress up," Kelly Craine of the Waco McLennan County Public Health District said. "You can take pictures sent them to your friends and family, watch scary movies and just have a night in."

The CDC has made it clear that the mask policy still applies no matter what your costume is. It stated on the website, "Make your cloth mask part of your costume, a costume mask is NOT a substitute for a cloth mask."

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