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Residents find creative way to distribute candy

Candy slide, hula hoops on South State Street

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Dan Backer sits on a scaffold, ready to drop candy down a PVC pipe for trick-or-treaters on Saturday.

NEW ULM — South State Street residents in New Ulm have long been known for finding creative ways to celebrate Halloween in an entertaining manner.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, this year is no exception.

Dan Backer has been dressing up in a spooky costume and decorating his front yard for Halloween for 22 years and he isn’t stopping now.

“I know kids are looking for places to go. I want them to come,” said Backer. “I’m COVID-friendly with candy chutes and all.”

“422 (State Street S.) will be open for business at 6 p.m. (Saturday),” Dan Backer posted on Facebook. “I will be up on scaffolding and dropping candy down an angled PVC tube candy slide. I’ll have kids place their bags at the end of the tube to catch the candy. Hula hoops will be on the sidewalk to keep kids apart. I’ll be doing my best to keep kids social distanced. I’ve got a microphone and will use it to keep kids apart.”

A number of other South State Street residents posted they will distribute candy too.

Another option is wrapping treats and putting them in your yard or porch, spaced, so they can easily be picked up. Or put them on a blanket on the lawn or table on your driveway or porch.

For those that don’t want to go door to door, one option is to buy their kids their favorite candy and let them trick-or-treat door to door in your home, or walk through the neighborhood in costume and come home for a special treat or toy.

Other in-person holiday celebration guidance comes from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention.

Don’t host or participate in any in-person festivities if you or anyone in your household:

• Has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and has not met the criteria when it is safe to be around others.

• Has COVID-19 symptoms.

• Is waiting for COVID-19 viral test results.

• May have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

• Is at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

If you are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, or live or work with someone who is, you should:

• Avoid in-person gatherings with people who don’t live in your household.

• Avoid larger gatherings and consider attending activities that pose lower risk if you decide to attend an in-person gathering with people not living in your household.

Getting a flu vaccine is an essential part of protecting your health and your family’s health this season. Flu vaccines are still useful any time during flu season and can often be accessed into January or later.

Other tips to avoid COVID-19 exposure are maintain social distance, limiting close contact, wearing masks, avoiding singing, chanting, or shouting, especially when not wearing a mask and within six feet of others.

Consider a Halloween-themed cloth mask, limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items, wash hands, and consider getting tested for COVID-19.

For more information, visit cdc.gov.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).

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