‘Get out there and enjoy it:’ Fauci said Halloween set to resume as normal for vaccinated individuals

With the end of the COVID-19 pandemic still not in sight, some individuals are still concerned about whether it's safe to gather on Halloween night, despite the assurance of Biden’s chief medical advisor, Anthony Fauci. Unsplash

Though the U.S. seven-day-average of the amount of hospital admissions caused by COVID-19 remains over 6,000, Anthony Fauci — President Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor — recently gave the green light for kids to trick-or-treat as normal this Halloween, after last year’s advice to stay home.

"I think that, particularly if you're vaccinated, you can get out there and enjoy it," Fauci told CNN.

However, vaccines are currently not authorized for children under 12 years old, causing some people to wonder if children can trick-or-treat safely.

Czerena Bayle, a freshman broadcast journalism and documentary major, said the risk of transmitting the virus to unvaccinated kids is still not worth it for her.

“I just think it's really risky going trick-or-treating, especially with younger kids because of the Delta variant and not knowing exactly if someone has COVID-19 or not,” Bayle said. “I would personally feel bad if I gave a kid COVID-19.”

Jerika Lam, Chapman University’s viral infection specialist, supports students who want to celebrate the spooky season with friends, but she suggested individuals take precautions when going out like matching a mask to their costume, distancing themselves and staying in groups of fully vaccinated individuals.

“In essence, it is safe for children to go outdoors and within groups and parents they know have been vaccinated,” Lam said. “If they cannot, then I would advise them just to have a costume with a mask and make sure that they're masking around strangers and staying outside as much as possible.”

If the weather gets colder and people must gather inside, Lam recommends distancing in larger rooms and opening windows if possible.

“I would still practice caution this year,” Lam said. “We’ve done so much and we’ve done so well considering the resources that we have as well as trying to pivot quickly with this novel virus. I would definitely not let go of my safe guards.”

Pfizer reported data from a clinical trial of children ages five to 11, showing that the coronavirus vaccine had a 90.7% efficacy rate in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections among this demographic. However, some parents in Orange County aren’t ready to vaccinate their children; Lauren Hall, a Yorba Linda mother of two boys — ages six and four — believes the decision should be up to individuals.

“My biggest argument in this whole debate about (the COVID-19) vaccines for kids is that everyone just has to do what's good for themselves and stop worrying about other people,” Hall said. “You can do what you can control.”

Halloween is a special holiday for children filled with candy-sharing, costume-wearing and extensive time for socialization with friends and family: three activities that are made increasingly difficult by the ongoing pandemic. Nevertheless, Hall explained how the holiday can be practiced safely while still having fun.

“As long as you're smart, you’re aware and (you) wash (your) hands and do all the things, I think you're fine,” Hall said. “What's good for me and my family may not be good for others. That's okay too, I don’t judge other people for what they do. But, I’m still going to take my kids trick-or-treating and do all of the holiday things that we can do, and if we’re asked to wear a mask, we’ll wear a mask, and if not, we won't.”