Health

San Diegans Reminded to Celebrate Halloween Safely During COVID-19

Video by County News Center
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County health officials are reminding the public that traditional Halloween celebrations are not advised, and large gatherings are not allowed, under the state or local health guidance.

Halloween celebrations – such as parties and in-person, door-to-door trick-or-treating – pose a high risk of spreading COVID-19 and are strongly discouraged.

“These activities involve face-to-face interactions with people from different households,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “If a COVID-19 infection is detected among a participant, it will be very difficult to find and notify those who may have been exposed.”

Wooten recommends the following safe Halloween activities to make sure children have a fun and safe celebration:

  • Online parties/contests such as costume or pumpkin carving
  • Drive-through events and car parades
  • Dressing up homes and yards with Halloween-themed decorations
  • Movie nights with your own household or at a drive-in theater
  • Pumpkin patches where people use hand sanitizer and maintain 6-feet of distance from others

“Please be safe and stay healthy this Halloween weekend,” Wooten said. “A boo and a cackle can be great fun, but COVID is definitely not.”

A list of what’s not allowed or recommended as well as other alternatives to celebrate Halloween is found here.

State Metrics:

  • San Diego County’s state-calculated, adjusted case rate is currently 6.5 per 100,000 residents. Limit for Tier 2, the Red Tier, is 7.0.
  • The testing positivity percentage is 3.5%, placing it in Tier 3 or the Orange Tier.
  • The state’s health equity metric looks at the testing positivity for areas with the lowest healthy conditions.
  • The County’s health equity testing positivity percentage is 5.1. This metric does not move counties to more restrictive tiers but is required to advance.
  • The California Department of Public Health will assess counties on a weekly basis, with the next report scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Community Setting Outbreaks:

  • 13 new community outbreaks were confirmed on Oct. 27: four in grocery settings, three in restaurant settings, two in business settings, two in health care settings, one in a day care setting and one in a government setting.
  • In the past seven days (Oct. 21 through Oct. 27), 31 community outbreaks were confirmed.
  • The number of community outbreaks remains above the trigger of seven or more in seven days.
  • A community setting outbreak is defined as three or more COVID-19 cases in a setting and in people of different households over the past 14 days.

Testing:

  • 11,116 tests were reported to the County on Oct. 27, and the percentage of new laboratory-confirmed cases was 3%.
  • The 14-day rolling average percentage of positive cases is 2.7%. Target is less than 8.0%.
  • The 7-day, daily average of tests is 11,268.
  • People with and without symptoms who are at higher risk for COVID-19 should be tested. Healthcare and essential workers should also get a test, as well as people who had close contact to a positive case or live in communities that are being highly impacted.

Cases:

  • 330 new cases were confirmed among San Diego County residents on Oct. 27. The region’s total is now 55,540.
  • 3,883 or 7.0% of all cases have required hospitalization.
  • 905 or 1.6% of all cases and 23.3% of hospitalized cases had to be admitted to an intensive care unit.

Deaths:

  • Four new deaths were reported in the County on Oct. 27. The region’s total is now 881.
  • Three women and one man died between Oct. 22 and Oct. 26. Their ages ranged from early 70s to mid-80s.
  • All had underlying medical conditions.

More Information:

The more detailed data summaries found on the County’s coronavirus-sd.com website will be updated around 5 p.m. today.

José A. Álvarez is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact