HOUMA, La.– Despite the CDC saying that trick-or-treating is high risk, in Terrebone Parish, Halloween will still happen.
“There’s high risk with flu season or anything else,” Terrebone Sheriff Tim Soignet said.
Sheriff Tim Soignet is taking a stance saying he’s leaving it up to the parents to decide.
“Parents can choose to have their kids participate in trick-or-treating or not,” he said.
He said that safety has always been a part of Halloween and now it is just elevated.
“Check your kids candy and make sure your kids are washing their hands. Doing good hygiene and common sense things will prevent the virus. My wife is a nurse, so I’m well versed during flu season,” he said.
Sheriff Soignet said there are no parish sanctioned trick-or-treating events, but his deputies will still provide safety patrols as they always do on Halloween.
“They will be patrolling the neighborhoods. It is time to get back to normal,” he said.
The Sheriff encourages face masks and social distancing.
“Let the kids decorate their face masks as part of their costume,” he said.
Mother of two kids, Liz Fontenot supports the Sheriff’s stance.
“I’m happy for the kids because they want it and need it. My 10-year old has autism and doesn’t understand the word, no.”
Liz said that she’s part of a Houma Facebook group called, “Da Buzz,” where parents took a poll about if they wanted Halloween to happen like in the past. She said about 2,400 parents said yes, while only about 100 parents said no.
“Normalcy is what we want, we wanted to keep Halloween for our children,” she said.
Houma Police Chief Dana Coleman and Terrebone Parish President Gordon Dove told parish council members on Monday night that they agree with Sheriff Soignet’s view.
