Solano County Public Health offers guidance on celebrating Halloween and the holiday festivities safely

October 21, 2021

SOLANO COUNTY –– The Solano County Department of Health and Social Services, Public Health division invites everyone to celebrate Halloween and Dia de los Muertos this year while reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Limiting yourself to small gatherings and implementing extra safety measures—especially when everyone is not vaccinated—can help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Together, we all need to do as much as we can to protect ourselves and those around us, including young children who are not yet eligible for vaccination. 

Mixing among individuals who do not live in the same home creates more opportunities for the virus to pass from one person to another. When it comes to reducing the spread of COVID-19, Halloween is no different than the rest of the year. Stay home if you feel sick or have come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19, wear a face covering whenever you leave home, wash or sanitize your hands frequently and keep your distance from others. 

General measures to protect against COVID-19 this holiday: 

Get fully vaccinated
n  Vaccines are our best protection against infection. All three currently available vaccines are safe and effectively reduce risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.
n  For vaccine clinic updates and upcoming vaccine clinics in Solano County, visit www.solanocounty.com/covidvaccine  

Stay home if you have, or think you may have, COVID-19.
n  Do not attend celebrations or participate in activities if you feel sick, or if you have come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19 and you are not yet fully vaccinated. 

Wear a face mask
n  Face masks are recommended in private settings where not everyone has been vaccinated or when around people who are otherwise vulnerable or whose immune systems are compromised.
n  A costume mask is not a substitute for a well-fitted face mask that covers your mouth and nose.
n  Avoid wearing a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. 

Gather outdoors
n  Indoor activities where people from different households mix, like haunted houses or indoor mazes, are higher risk for everyone—especially for persons not yet vaccinated. 

Take safety precautions when trick-or-treating 
n  If participating in traditional outdoor trick-or-treating, wear a face mask or keep your distance from others to help reduce your risk of getting COVID-19.
n  Take hand sanitizer with you and use it frequently. Remember to wash your hands after coming home, and especially before eating any treats.
After Halloween, monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms. If you don’t feel well or you learn someone you had close contact with tested positive, get tested and stay home until your appointment and while you wait for your results. 

GET BOOSTER OR FIRST/SECOND DOSE OF VACCINE:
The mass vaccination clinics at the Vallejo fairgrounds is operating Wednesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Clinics are expected to be operational for a total of 8 weeks between October 13 and the middle of December, with closures the week of November 3 – 6 and November 24 – 27 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. 

The clinics are walk-in, or appointment based. To make an appointment at the mass vaccination event, eligible residents can sign up to for their booster or their first/second dose with the available vaccines online at https://vax.phast-vax-ca.org/en-US/.Those requiring registration assistance, call (800) 672-0150.  

COVID-19 INFORMATION
n  For guidance on celebrating holiday traditions safely during COVID-19, visit the Guidance for Safer Holiday Social Interactions. 
n  We anticipate being able to provide boosters for Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines imminently. For more information about boosting, mixing and vaccine locations, visit www.solanocounty.com/covidvaccine. 
n  Homebound individuals interested in requesting an in-home vaccination appointment are encouraged to call the COVID-19 vaccine line at (707) 784-8655 for scheduling assistance. 
n  Residents without transportation to and from vaccine sites hosted by Solano County are urged to call the COVID-19 vaccine line at (707) 784-8655 and arrange for a free ride through Uber. 
n  For vaccine clinic updates and upcoming vaccine clinics in Solano County, visit www.solanocounty.com/covidvaccine. 
n  For vaccine clinics available throughout the State, visit www.myturn.ca.gov or www.vaccines.gov 
n  For the most recent local COVID-19 health information, including the number of COVID-19 cases in Solano County as reflected on the COVID-19 dashboard, visit www.SolanoCounty.com/COVID19 and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SolanoCountyPH (@SolanoCountyPH).