Toronto 
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore has released the province’s guidelines for safely celebrating Thanksgiving and Halloween.
Dr. Kieran Moore says virtual gatherings or events are the safest way to celebrate, especially if you do not know the vaccination status of your guests.
All Ontarians are reminded to stay home even if they have mild COVID-19 like symptoms.
For indoor gatherings, masks are advised when getting together with people unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or if the status is unknown. If the gatherings are outdoors, it is better to wear a mask if physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Masks are not required in both indoor and outdoor settings if all are fully vaccinated.
Thanksgiving gatherings:
Hosts of gatherings should remember to keep the number of guests within the gathering limits of 25 indoors and 100 outdoors and follow all current public health measures.
Guidelines for hosting an in-person gathering include:
- have the fewest number of people possible at your gathering
- use outdoor spaces whenever possible
- clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces
- make a list of guests attending in case your local public health unit needs it for contact tracing
- have everyone wash their hands before and after eating
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Guidelines for Halloween:
Both trick-or-treaters and those handing out treats are reminded to wear masks, use hand sanitizer often, not to participate in trick or treating if they have COVID-19 symptoms, however mild.
Other guidelines include:
- trick-or-treat outdoors as much as possible
- do not crowd doorsteps – take turns one at a time
- do not sing or shout for your treats
- keep interactions brief with those giving out treats
- give out only purchased and packaged treats
Guidelines for Remembrance Day
Like guidelines for Halloween and Thanksgiving, participants are asked to stay home if they have symptoms, wear masks indoors, and wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently.
Wear a face covering and use hand sanitizer regularly, if you are planning to sell poppies in-person.
Those at high risk of severe disease and/or exposure to COVID-19 or immunocompromised are requested to attend events virtually and refrain from selling poppies.
