OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Just because we are in a pandemic doesn't mean Halloween is canceled. Area health experts say it just might look different.
"Currently our infection rate in Nebraska is 21% positive," Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan with CHI Health said.
She says Douglas County is seeing high rates of community spread, adding traditional Halloween trick-or-treating puts people at high risk of catching COVID-19.
"What we are going to do is pack candy individually in a zip lock bag and lay it out," Dr. Vivekanandan said.
Dr. Jeremy Toffle of Children's Hospital and Medical Center says his family will also put out individually wrapped bags of candy.
He adds Halloween can still be memorable by simply getting creative.
"We are probably going to set up stuffed animals throughout the house, in the backyard and they are going to trick-or-treat to the stuffed animal," Dr. Toffle said.
Dr. Vivekanandan and Dr. Toffle say avoid the traditional big bowl of candy, forego homemade baked goods, wipe down candy wrappers and socially distance.
"A Halloween mask in and of itself is not going to be enough sadly to protect people from spread if you are in close contact," Dr. Toffle said.
He says a face covering and a Halloween mask works, but to check oxygen flow before hitting the streets to trick-or-treat!