West Deer to allow trick-or-treating despite coronavirus pandemic

West Deer children will be allowed to trick-or-treat in the township this Halloween despite federal health officials recommending that the tradition should be avoided this year because of the covid-19 pandemic.

Trick-or-treating will be take place in West Deer from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Residents who want trick-or-treaters to visit their homes are asked to have them lit so they know they’re welcome. People who don’t want to participate are asked to leave their homes dark so children know not to go there.

Township officials have advised parents and children to follow state and federal guidelines regarding face coverings and social distancing.

Other suggestions include limiting the size of a group, carrying hand sanitizer, avoiding touching one’s face and holding off on eating candy until arriving back home.

“The township wanted to post guidelines and recommendations provided by the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and state guidelines to ensure parents and children were being safe while trick-or-treating,” Supervisors Chairman Arlind Karpuzi said. “The homes that would like to participate are asked to make it clear that they’d like to be visited by trick-or-treaters.”

Traditional trick-or-treating as well as so-called trunk-or-treat events where treats are handed out from the trunks of cars have been labeled as higher-risk activities by the CDC. The CDC has suggested such activities be avoided in order to mitigate the spread of covid-19.

The CDC said safer alternatives include having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search in or around your house with people you live with; decorating your house, apartment, or living space; or having a Halloween movie night with people you live with.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health supports the CDC recommendations, and is “working to provide guidance and recommendations on trick-or-treat and fall-related activities,” spokesman Nate Wardle said.

The West Deer Parks and Recreation Board is trying to determine whether it can hold some iteration of its annual trunk-or-treat event while abiding by social distancing guidelines. The event draws anywhere from 250 to 300 people.

“We call it trunk-or-treat, but it’s technically inside,” Chairwoman Amy Stark said. “It started out originally as trunk-or-treat outside, but it was always rainy and cold, so we ended up moving it inside the community center at East Union Presbyterian Church. That’s why we’re trying to get creative because there’s no way we could get that many people socially distanced inside.”

West Deer police will patrol during trick-or-treat as usual, but will not be handing out candy, officials said.