Should Children Trick-or-Treat This Year?

Zayna Khan '24 ~ October 2021

Ding-dong! Trick-or-treat! It is the time of year for everyone's favorite holiday, Halloween! However, it may not have been so fun last year due to COVID-19.

According to USA Today, Halloween was canceled in 37 states in the United States in the fall of 2020. Fortunately, many adults and kids between the ages of 12 and 17 were able to get vaccinated in order to go out again. All of this raises a question: Should children below the age of 12 trick-or-treat this year? I believe that they should go trick-or-treating because children need a mental break, plus as long as they are vaccinated or wear a mask, they can have a safe Halloween this year!

Halloween allows children to be free and fun. Let’s face it, the delta variant struck kids who have been in mental turmoil. Children were away from their friends, struggling with school, and many became orphans. Even worse, children under the age of 12 got the virus. According to the CDC, the rates for children under 12 being hospitalized was ten times higher than their vaccinated peers. Currently, children are back at school, as well as adults at work, because of vaccinations. Children need fun in order to relieve the stress that constantly surrounds them-- what is a better way to do that than dressing up to get free candy?

Despite the vaccination rates being high, it is worth noting that children ages between 7 and 12 cannot be vaccinated. Nonetheless, they can still trick or treat while being safe. As stated by The Conversation, it only takes a few simple rules such as wearing a mask, staying in small groups, and washing hands to be safe.

Additionally, USA Today reports that adults are inventing new ways for trick-or-treating to be safer. For instance, Lynn Rutecki along with her son, Jack Rutecki, made a candy garden for trick-or-treaters. The Hingorany family made a candy catapult to launch candy to the kids.

Given all of this, I think children of all ages should have fun for their own sake on Halloween!

Title Photo: Elizabeth Dodman