KEEPING HALLOWEEN SAFE IN 2020

The list of popular Halloween costumes in 2020 suggests a mixed bag amidst the pandemic. Expect to see people dressed up as traditional standbys, such as dinosaurs and astronauts, as well as pop culture figures, such as Joe Exotic of Tiger King fame. Still, the overriding theme of Halloween 2020 is ‘safety.’ The coronavirus pandemic is still very active with the number of COVID-19 cases in some areas are at levels that concern some elected officials.  

Indeed, it is a Halloween like no other. 

That sentiment especially rings true for people who live in multi-unit apartment and condominium buildings, say officials at Planned Companies, one of the fastest growing and most respected real estate service providers in the country. Planned Companies provides industry–leading janitorial, maintenance, concierge/front desk, and security services to clients across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and the western region. 

“During a pandemic, safety can’t take a day off – even on a fun day like Halloween,” said Dino Iuliano, Chief Revenue Officer, Planned Companies. “We are advising building operators to err on the side of caution and do things differently this year. With some creativity, the holiday can be both fun and safe.” 

Planned Companies offers six tips for condominium and apartment building operators to manage trick or treating safely in 2020: 

1. Check local regulations. You need to know if trick–or–treating is allowed this year. If your local government is allowing trick-or-treating, do you want to allow it in your building? If the answer is “no,” then that information should be visible for all residents to see. 
    

1. Discourage unit-to-unit trick–or–treating. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is discouraging trick-or-treating in enclosed spaces, like apartments. If there is an outdoor courtyard, best to centralize trick or treating activities there. If no outside area, consider having a “trunk or treat” style event in common areas, such as the lobby or a designated event area. Limit capacity to 25% at any given time, per CDC recommendations.
    

1. Pre–pack treats. By packing candy in advance, and placing treats on a table, trick-or-treaters can grab and go, and you are reducing the length of time that you are around children and their supervising adults. 

1. Schedule an Extra Cleaning Cycle. With Halloween on a Saturday this year, expect your building to have a lot more foot traffic than normal. Consider an extra cleaning building cycle before and after Halloween. 
    

1. Monitor Guests That Enter Your Building. Your residents may have family or friends over for Halloween. If guests are permitted on your property during the current public health emergency, be sure your front desk associate monitors all arrivals and departures. This may be valuable on the chance their needs to be contact tracing. 
    

1. Adhere to the “Golden Rules” of the pandemic. Halloween is not the time to stop practicing the simple guidelines that have been recommended for months – wear a face covering over your nose and mouth, wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds, maintain at least six feet of distance between you and someone not residing in your household, and stay home if you don’t feel well.  

“Planned Companies loves Halloween and we want to make the big day the centerpiece of a fun season,” Iuliano said. “At the same time, we want everyone to stay healthy. A safe Halloween in 2020 is truly the biggest ‘treat’ of all.”