The Scioto County Commissioners tentatively scheduled Trick-or-Treat for Saturday, October 31 from 5 – 7 pm. Last week, Commissioner Bryan Davis expressed concern that some communities had already canceled Halloween events due to COVID fears. “I’m very concerned. I’ve heard that California canceled Trick-or-Treat. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”
Kids Are Already Wearing Masks
The commissioner said that Trick or Treat is special to many parents and children. He also pointed out that other events are permitted this fall. “If we can have Trade Days, we can have trick or treat. Kids are already wearing masks.”
Davis said he’s already reached out to the health department to discuss the matter. “We’ll be bringing that to a head soon. It’s mid-September. October 31 falls on a Saturday. It’d be a heck of a day, a nice day to have Trick or Treat. Our preference would be for us to be able to do that.”
He pointed out that commissioners must deal with two health departments. “We take a lot of heat. There’s a lot of people who say we need to do what the health departments say. There’s others that say, no, we are a free America. We have to walk a tightrope because we are government officials. We have to abide. There are a lot of heated emotions.” Davis said commissioners work well with the Scioto County Health Department. “I did reach out to Dr. Martin. We’re kind of waiting on some guidance from ODH (Ohio Department of Health) on this.”
Cities Will Follow County’s Lead
Davis said he does not consider the act of trick or treating unsafe. “The contact points of handing out candy is what I think the concern is. What do you do there? Are parents able to monitor their own children? Yes. They can and they should. I think there’s got to be a discussion about responsibility. We’ll see what happens.”
Davis said he spoke to New Boston and that the village planned to follow the county’s lead. At Monday’s Portsmouth City Council meeting, the city also agreed it would follow the county’s lead.
One possible hitch is that the Ohio Department of Health has yet to issue state rules for Trick-or-Treat. “The health department has received no guidance from the state health department. There’s a lot of distance between now and October 31. But for now, Davis said parents and kids can mark their calendars for October 31.
