I wish they would publicize safer ways to trick-or-treat, as opposed to abolishing it altogether, or recommending against it. It's safer to be outdoors than it is to have a Halloween party indoors - even with trusted people within your pod. Unless you are having an exclusive Halloween party for only members of your immediate household, indoors is always more risky around this time.

Outdoors is safer, especially if masks can be worn with the costumes.

Children won't be vaccinated by this time, so elderly persons can use caution by wearing masks, making sure that candy bundles are in baggies with perhaps a yarn threaded through a hole in the baggie, so that those could be easily picked up instead of the plastic. That would be a better way to protect against flu, pneumococcal infections, and Covid-19, among other respiratory illnesses circulating, including mutations. The yarn kills the bacteria and viruses faster than plastic. Or - better yet - paper bags (sandwich size) with candy and treats inside, which will produce fewer fomites.

It's really the close contact and aerosolization that spreads respiratory illnesses. But the flu can be picked up with fomites. So its best to be cautious about all, since some areas are surging and have crisis standards of care.

Having a sign outside with a table and large bowl would be best - where you could say pick one bag per person only, as they all have the same exact candy assortments. (Parents can pick up as many bags for as many children in their party.) The bowl will be recycled when it gets low. If there are no more available, a new sign will be put out ("Sorry, all the candy has been snatched, but warm thoughts for a good, happy, and safe Halloween!"). You can either greet people outside while maintaining 6 feet social distancing, or you can be behind a window inside and only come out to refill the bowl.

So those are some ideas for safer trick-or-treaters.

The parents could tell their pods/groups to only be close within their group, but to remain 6 feet or more from those not in their group. And to always keep their mask on over their nose and mouth.

It would also be cool to have costumes that included matching masks for safety - to go with their costumes.

All these things would have been great marketing tools, etc., to help boost our economy, jobs, and what not. But no, the fight still continues against masks and vaccines, so here we are - with a polarized system and an unclear safety protocol for a safe Halloween.