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Cancellation of Trick-or-Treat due to COVID-19

Posted on: October 15, 2020 - 12:06pm

Town of Ayer

Press Release

2020 Town of Ayer Trick-or-Treating Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Issued:  October 15, 2020 It is with great disappointment that the Town of Ayer must cancel Trick-or-Treating originally scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.  This very difficult decision is being made in the interests of public health and safety during this unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic.  This decision is being made in consultation with the Board of Health, Public Health Officials, the Fire Chief, the Police Chief, the Town Manager’s Office, the Ayer Office of Community and Economic Development and with support of the Ayer Select Board. 

Factors considered in making this difficult decision included:  the public health and safety concerns of having groups of people (including from out of Town) going door-to-door during the COVID-19 Pandemic; the Center for Disease Control’s classification of Trick-or-Treat as a “moderate to high risk” event for potential virus transmission;  a recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the Town of Ayer and across Massachusetts  https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-public-health-report-october-14-2020/download; the inability to enforce social distancing and the wearing of appropriate masks;  the appropriate sanitization of passing out of candy cannot be enforced nor guaranteed;  at-risk individuals for potential infection were also taken into consideration to ensure the health and safety of all; and concerns that Trick-or-Treaters from other communities could transmit COVID-19 to Ayer. 

No community, including the Town of Ayer wants to cancel public, community events.  However, this remains the trend during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.  This decision is a very difficult one which will unquestionably result in disappointment across the community; this is the hardest part of this decision.   The Town understands and shares in this disappointment.  However, the public health and public safety of everyone in this community must be the priority during COVID-19.  Additionally, this difficult decision is consistent with the many hard decisions which communities across the State and Nation are having to make as they cancel Trick-or-Treat and other community Halloween events due to COVID-19.

The Town of Ayer extends its sincere understanding to the community for the disappointment that this decision will cause.  The Town of Ayer remains optimistic that when the conditions of the COVID-19 Pandemic warrant, the Town will return to hosting and offering many public celebrations and events, including Trick-or-Treat.       

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic.  Please continue to stay safe and stay healthy.  Thank you.