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The Albemarle City Council passed a motion Monday night to close Pee Dee Avenue from Miller Street to Ridge Street on Halloween from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Several council members said that while they didn’t want to cancel Halloween, with the coronavirus pandemic still a threat, they want to make sure people are safe and following proper state guidelines. A map of the road closures as well as advice for safer trick or treating will be given to homeowners along Pee Dee Avenue and placed on the city’s website.

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services lists trick-or-treating as a moderate risk activity and lays out a number of precautions that people should take. They include:

• Avoiding or at least limiting physical contact with others while trick or treating;
• Lining up individually wrapped goodie bags for families while remaining socially distant;
• Gently tossing candy to trick or treaters from six feet away; a candy chute or tube could be used to pass to candy; and
• People are advised to spread out if children want to scream. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.

NCDHHS also encourages people not to wear costume masks over a protective cloth masks because it could be hard to breathe. Instead the state encourages people to wear Halloween-themed cloth masks. Families should still wear protective mask when within six feet of other people, especially when walking to the door or standing on the porch.

In addition to the NCDHHS guidelines, the city encourages people who want to participate in Halloween events to:

• Avoid touching or handling other’s costumes and decorations;
• Wear masks over their nose and mouth;
• Stand at least 6 feet apart in lines. Taped markings or small signs may help;
• Encourage the use of closed streets, lawns, driveways and other open spaces to social distance and prevent crowding; and
• Inspect candy and consider wiping wrappers before giving to children.

Cross traffic will be allowed on Miller, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth/Cotton and Ridge streets, but will not be allowed down Pee Dee Avenue. If people will need to park to walk with their children, parking will be available at city lots across Pee Dee Avenue from Lillian Mill, the private lot east of Lillian Mill and at the grass lot at Morrow and Pee Dee Avenue.