If members of our school community elect to trick or treat this Halloween, you need to stay safe.  The following information regarding Holloween has been provided by the Department of Health & Human Services:

• If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) get tested and stay at home. By staying at home this Halloween, you help to keep your friends, family and community safe.

• Wear a face mask with your costume, but remember that a costume mask that is part of your Halloween costume is not a substitute for a face mask. Consider making your own mask and decorating it.

• Keep at least 1.5 metres between yourself and people you don’t live with. This means no hugging or kissing when greeting people. Don’t share food or drinks.

In addition, it is safer not to hand out lollies or treats to trick-or-treaters this Halloween. This is because the virus can spread on surfaces, including food or packaging.  Under current restrictions traditional trick or treating where you knock on someone’s door is not permitted. If you can’t resist handing out lollies this year you can do so by having candy available outside of your home.

• Don’t use communal bowls for lollies or treats. Putting lollies in a shared bowl will mean everyone is touching the same food and surfaces which isn’t safe.

• Instead, put individually wrapped lollies or treats in bags for non-contact collection.

• Place bags on your fence, at your front gate or outside your home for collection.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before preparing the bags or individually wrapped lollies or treats.

Further information on how to stay safe this Halloween is available on the DHHS website.