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No tricks, just treats: Contactless candy pickup crops up in San Diego as county discourages traditional Halloween

While decorative ghouls and goblins are out, county health officials are asking trick-or-treaters to stay in

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif — Halloween is creeping up. And while decorative ghouls and goblins are out, county health officials are asking trick-or-treaters to stay in. So, Scott Davidoff went out on a limb. 

“Kids are getting the short wrap here,” he said.

Davidoff decorated a tree full of treats for contactless candy picking.

“It's different - just like 2020,” he said.

"A boo and a cackle can be great fun but COVID-19 is definitely not," said Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten who strongly discouraged door-to-door trick-or-treating at a county update Wednesday.

“If an infection is detected among participants, it's difficult to find individuals exposed,” she said.

But canceling the tradition altogether sounded so haunting to Shelby Caron’s 7-year-old son that she decided to create a neighborhood Facebook page for anyone looking for a fang-tastic night.

“These are neighborhoods that are going to be participating in handing out candy,” she explained.

Shelby Caron hopes neighbors stick to socially distanced and somewhat sanitary sweets from the pre-packaged candy bags to cool candy contraptions. 

“All you have to do basically is put in candy in the tube at the end there and then it just shoots out down here,” one woman described her chute.

And for all those planning to keep it at the drive-thru haunted house, Davidoff sure hopes as many neighbors stop by for a string or two.

“If it’s successful we'll have to add more strings and candy,” he said.

And before going anywhere, the county encourages people to take a quick look at its Halloween safety guidelines.

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