CDC adds guidelines for Halloween, discourages people from trick-or-treating

This is usually the time of year when people flock to their favorite Halloween stores or aisles and pick up candy, costumes and decorations, but due to the pandemic, customers aren’t coming in and money is tight.

“I try and get on board and think positive, and it only takes a few hours of you sitting here twiddling your thumbs before you realize OK, now I’m sitting here doing nothing. Is anybody going to come in?” said Chrissy Barchers, owner of Red Headed Witches.

Barchers is hoping that Halloween will help her out of the hole and back on her feet. “This year has been horrible, honestly.”

If people follow new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Halloween may not be the saving grace Barchers hoped it would be. The CDC is discouraging families from trick-or-treating, wearing masks or even attending parties.

Barchers says she understands partially, but she’s still saddened. “I understand not having bar parties and huge gatherings, but children going out and trick-or-treating, I think we could find an alternative approach.”

People who love Halloween and all the goodies agree. Samantha Schmidt, a new homeowner in Cape Coral, says she’s planning to decorate and give out candy.

“I would definitely say they should wear masks, carry hand sanitizer in their little bucket pails,” she said.

One grandfather and his grandchild are also planning to go trick-or-treating. “It’s something I enjoyed when I was little and I think it helps build their character,” said Wilber Sverns of Cape Coral.