Dr. Fauci says outdoor trick-or-treating is safe for Halloween despite COVID-19
Dr. Fauci says it’s safe to trick-or-treat for Halloween — as long as you stay outside.
The nation’s top pandemic doctor gave the green light for spooky fun even as other experts renewed their warning to avoid crowded parties especially if you are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Go out there and enjoy Halloween,” Fauci said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
He took the opportunity to use the upcoming holiday as a reason for unvaccinated people to get the lifesaving shot to avoid the risk of becoming infected.
COVID infections, hospitalizations and deaths are all declining now since the end of a brutal summer surge powered by the virulent delta variant.
The daily average caseload has dipped below 100,000 for the first time in several months.
With vaccination numbers steadily rising, Fauci and other public health experts say it’s reasonably safe for children to enjoy the holidays outdoors.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky recently agreed that trick-or-treating outdoors is safe but crowded venues are still a big concern, especially with unvaccinated people.
However, they warn that unvaccinated people should continue to wear masks in all settings. As well as risking their own health, they pose a serious danger to children under 12 who are not yet approved for the vaccine and vaccinated people who are at risk of breakthrough infections.
The pandemic situation in the U.S. is markedly different from last year when vaccines for COVID were still in the final testing stages before being approved for emergency use.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected any day now to authorize the use of a lower-dose vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Even though children are not as likely to be sickened by the coronavirus, they can still spread it to others especially in their households.
Despite the relatively good news in recent weeks, doctors still fear a new surge of the pandemic among the unvaccinated as colder temperatures settle in across the northern half of the nation.
Increased spread of the virus can also lead to the creation of new variants, which could be even more virulent or potentially more resistant to the vaccines.
