What are your plans for Halloween?
“I’m probably going to go out for Halloween weekend. I have four costumes planned but I don’t know if I’m actually going to go out four times in a row,” said Allison Shapinko. “A girl scout and Dora the Explorer are a couple of them.”
According to the Associated Press, on Oct. 10, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, weighed in on whether or not it is okay for people to go out and go trick or treating for Halloween. As Covid-19 cases in the U.S. decline, Fauci said that people should feel safe going out and that children should “go out there” and “enjoy it.”
However, he also recommends that people get the vaccine if they have not already for the “extra degree of protection” as Covid-19 vaccines have recently been approved for people 12 years and older.
This fall semester, Sacred Heart University required students to get the vaccine with some exemptions, but now that most are vaccinated, some students feel a sense of relief.
“A hundred percent I feel safer because I’m vaccinated,” said sophomore Tina Costanza. “But I do believe it should be a choice to get vaccinated.”
However, others worry that testing protocols on campus are not what they should be, yet will still be going out for the holiday.
“Yeah, I do feel safe going out for Halloween,” said Shapinko. “But do we really know how many cases we have on campus because not everyone is being tested? I’m way more excited this year because we couldn’t do anything last year. We can finally have a normal Halloween as normal as possible.”
On the other hand, there are some students who believe that unvaccinated individuals should not be going out at all especially since this will be the first “real” opportunity to celebrate Halloween since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
“I don’t feel like people who are unvaccinated should go out because of the greater risk of them getting sick and getting others sick,” said junior Brianna Rossback. “People are really excited for this Halloween because of how the last two years have been. I feel like a lot more people will be going out this year. I personally feel a lot safer because I am fully vaccinated, and I believe that most students feel this way as well because they have less risk of getting so sick. Honestly, I don’t think people will be wearing masks with their costumes, including me. I think people are confident in the vaccine and will just try to maintain their distance.”
Some have said that they will not be wearing masks with their costumes, especially if it is not part of their costume.
“I won’t be wearing a mask, none of the bars require it,” said Shapinko.
Nonetheless, students are looking forward to going out this year, dressing up and regaining a sense of normalcy in their lives.
“I’m going to this costume event; everyone is going to be dressed up and I’m just super excited to finally have things feel like they’re getting back to normal,” said Rossback. “Also, I’m so excited to dress up in my costume. It just feels like it’s been forever”
