Sam Ficiur dressed up for the Lethbridge Campus Media costume contest in Centre Core.

Although people are excited about the spooky season coming up, COVID-19 poses some concerns surrounding the holiday.

According to a COVID-19 update from Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Chief Medical Officer of Health, last Halloween there were approximately 5,600 active cases.

As of Oct. 20, according to the Government of Alberta website, there are 10,434 active cases across of the province. 

Amie Schaufele is an English teacher at Winston Churchill High School and a mother of two children. She says they would do everything as a family, but now she has to think twice about bringing her children with her.

“I don’t know how safe it is, so we definitely think twice about where we go in public with our daughters,” says Schaufele.

Schaufele thinks Halloween is going to be what they expect every year, but she says her family is going to wear masks and bring hand sanitizer as they go trick-or-treating.

Emma McClure, Lethbridge College’s Immunization Nurse and Clinic Care Coordinator, says the biggest contributor to the spread of COVID-19 is social gatherings.

“If someone sneezes and they’re by a bunch of people in close proximity in an enclosed space, that’s going to spread to everyone really fast,” says McClure.

McClure recommends people follow guidelines that are set out, maintain social distancing, and continually wash your hands.

Hinshaw released a COVID-19 update on Thursday in her regular press conference. She knows Albertans are excited for the upcoming holiday but asks Albertans “to be wise and safe celebrating this year.”

The government released some tips on how to be safe during the Halloween season. Tips include incorporating a non-medical mask into a person’s costume and maintaining two metres while trick-or-treating.

For more tips and advice about how to celebrate Halloween safely, visit the Government of Alberta’s website at alberta.ca.