Dr. Anthony Fauci has spoken: It’s okay to go out and celebrate Halloween this year.
The White House’s chief medical adviser spoke to CNN on Sunday outlining his recommendations for parents who want to take their kids trick-or-treating. While he still stressed the importance of being vaccinated, he also said that folks could go trick-or-treating safely.
“It’s a good time to reflect on why it’s important to get vaccinated,” Fauci said to CNN. “But go out there and enjoy Halloween.”
He urged that parents consider the vaccine as adding an “extra degree of protection to yourself and your children and your family and your community.” However, since trick-or-treating is an outdoor activity, it can be enjoyed safely.
“This is a time children love,” he said. “It’s a very important part of the year for children.”
In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between 12- and 15-years-old, according to The New York Times. Since authorization, more than 8.2 million kids in that age window have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Pfizer-BioNTech has recently requested emergency use authorization for children ages five- to 11-years-old, reports the NYT. That could see more than 28 million people in the United States guarded against the coronavirus.