Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs gave the green light for trick-or-treating this Halloween.
The mayor said neighborhood trick-or-treating can go on as planned, but parents and children should ensure they are following local health rules to stay safe.
“I want families to be able to celebrate Halloween if they want,” said Mayor Jacobs. “And I am confident it can be accomplished in a safe and healthy way.”
The mayor said people should follow the Knox County Health Department's rules, particularly wearing a mask, maintaining distance and washing hands.
“I am hopeful this experience will be fairly normal for everyone,” said Mayor Jacobs. “Ultimately, this guidance will allow everyone to decide what is right for their family, but we should all be respectful of families and homes who choose not to participate.”
KCHD also offers these recommendations for trick-or-treating safely. You can learn more on Knox County's website:
- Wear a face covering when you can’t maintain appropriate physical distance. A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth face covering and wearing one in addition to a cloth face covering is not recommended.
- Carry hand sanitizer and use it often.
- Refrain from having children select their own treats from a bowl/common container. Consider creative alternatives for contactless candy distribution like using a “grabber” tool or candy chute or placing treats in individual baggies and placing them in an easy-to-grab location.
- Avoid homemade treats and only distribute, and/or allow children to eat, factory-wrapped treats.
- Consider wiping all candy wrappers with sanitizing wipes upon arriving home and wash hands before and after eating candy/treats.
- Avoid large crowds and trick-or-treat with your household or a small group of neighbors/friends.