Hand-washing, no yelling 'trick-or-treat': Quebec offers up pandemic Halloween rules
Quebec kids are being asked not to yell 'trick-or-treat' as they go door-to-door for candy and to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer handy this Halloween.
The province's Health Department today published a list of guidelines to help celebrate the holiday safely amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Children are advised not to enter people's houses, to refrain from singing and yelling, to wash and sanitize their hands and to try to keep one metre of distance from others whenever possible.
The province is asking adults to hand out candies in individual bags and to respect the 10-person gathering limit when it comes to parties.
This year's rules are less stringent than in 2020, when Premier Francois Legault banned all adult Halloween activities and told families they could only trick-or-treat with members of their own households.
But despite the improving COVID-19 situation, the government says it's still important to be careful and for those with symptoms to stay home.
"For those who don't show symptoms and who participate in the gathering and distribution of candy, remember that caution is still in order to limit the risks of spreading the virus," the Health Department said in a statement.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted some Canadian cities to ban trick-or-treating altogether last year, and led many families to come up with creative solutions such as using candy chutes to pass out treats from a distance.
Quebec allowed trick-or-treating to proceed but banned adult celebrations, prompting Legault to say that Halloween was "only for kids."
While the province chose not to cancel Halloween, there is some precedent for postponing it.
In 2019 several cities in the province, including Montreal, decided to ask citizens to delay Halloween by a day due to a heavy rainfall warning.
The announcement was ignored by some parents who decided to proceed, leading to some lucky children getting two days to collect treats instead of one.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct 22, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.