CDC Director: 'Enjoy Your Trick-or-Treating'

What a difference a year—and a vaccine—makes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky says Americans should enjoy Halloween traditions including trick-or-treating this year, the Washington Post reports. Last year, the CDC warned against traditional trick-or-treating and said that while socially distanced outdoor events might be OK, "if screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised." On Fox News Sunday, Walensky said her advice to children this year is, "Put on those costumes, stay outside, and enjoy your trick-or-treating."

She added, however, that people should still take some precautions, Politico reports. "I wouldn't gather in large settings outside and do screaming like you are seeing in those football games, if you are unvaccinated, those kids that are unvaccinated," Walensky said, "but if you are spread out doing your trick-or-treating, that should be very safe for your children." She said her advice for upcoming holidays is: "Get yourself vaccinated before you gather; it will absolutely be safer if you're vaccinated. Any activity that is outdoors is safer than it is if it's indoors." She said if multiple households are gathering, people should protect the vulnerable by making sure as many people as possible are vaccinated. (Earlier this month, Dr. Anthony Fauci said people should "go out there and enjoy Halloween.")