Are You Celebrating Halloween This Year? [POLL]

NEW YORK — Another Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic is upon us and questions remain about whether or not it's safe to celebrate the spookiest night of the year.

The answer from health officials is a qualified "yes," but with the delta variant still around, it is worth sending the kids out to collect candy and other treats?

New York officials issued some safety tips for adults and children to enjoy a safe Halloween.

Many of the recommendations are similar to the precautions we all have become used to since the coronavirus came to the United States.

• Washing hands with soap and water or the use of hand sanitizer before, during and after any Halloween activities is at the top of the list.
• Halloween events should be kept small and outdoors, if the weather allows.
• Don't let kids reach into a candy bowl whether they come to the door or if the party is inside. Health officials said to consider making individual goodie bags and leave them on a table in the driveway or in front of your house.
• Avoid crowds when trick-or-treating; skip a house that has a lot of people in front of it.
• Regarding costumes, the suggestion is to try to incorporate a cloth face mask. For children under 12 who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, masks are still the best line of defense against COVID-19, health officials said.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encouraged people to get outside and enjoy the holiday.

Rochelle Walensky told "Fox News Sunday" that she would tell children to put on costumes, stay outdoors and enjoy trick-or-treating, The Washington Post reported.

She emphasized that anyone who is unvaccinated, as are all children under 12 years of age, should avoid gathering in large settings outside.

All of the recommendations and safety tips have to be weighed against what you and your family are comfortable with because the virus is still out there.

On Thursday, the Orange County Department of Health issued an advisory that people who attended the town of Newburgh Trunk or Treat event at a park may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

Orange County Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman warned anyone who was at the Oct. 22 event should monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the issue. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.