Will a Halloween Mask Protect Against COVID?
A new CDC guide has been released with guidelines for celebrating the fall and winter holidays, including Halloween. Many of the recommendations will sound familiar: indoor meetings are generally more dangerous than outdoor meetings. The longer the duration and the larger the group of people, the higher the risk. Traveling is more dangerous than staying put. Get a flu shot. Etc. But if you do decide to give the kids a treat this Halloween, the CDC has some mask recommendations.
Specifically, the CDC says that you should not use fancy dress masks in place of cloth masks, and using both can be dangerous:
- Do not use a costume mask (for example, for Halloween) in place of a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and leaves no gaps around the face.
- Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask as it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes breathing difficult. Consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask instead.
The CDC also recommends several other lower-risk alternatives for celebrating Halloween, including:
- Carving or decorating pumpkins
- Planning a Halloween scavenger hunt in your neighborhood or home
- Competition of virtual costumes
- Halloween family movie night
Also, remember that any CDC guidelines are intended to supplement, not replace, any local laws, rules, or regulations that you must comply with.