Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday that children should be able to safely trick-or-treat this year despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“You can get out there,” Fauci said of Halloween activities. “You’re outdoors for the most part, at least, when my children were out there doing trick-or-treating, and enjoy it.”
Fauci added that “particularly if you’re vaccinated,” families should be able to enjoy the holiday season. He noted that the upcoming holidays could serve as a reason to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Most children are not vaccinated, as no COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for children under 12 years old. Pfizer has asked the Food & Drug Administration for approval of its vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.
“If you’re not vaccinated, again, think about that you’ll add an extra degree of protection to yourself and your children and your family and your community,” Fauci said. “So it’s a good time to reflect on why it’s important to get vaccinated, but go out there and enjoy Halloween as well as the other holidays that will be coming up.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky has previously agreed with Fauci’s guidance and said that children should be able to trick-or-treat safely this year despite the pandemic.
“If you’re able to be outdoors, absolutely,” Walensky said on an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation” last month.
The CDC issued new guidance earlier this month encouraging people who may have indoor holiday gatherings to open windows and doors and use fans to enhance ventilation and minimize the spread of COVID-19.