WINNIPEG — In the year of COVID-19, whether or not to celebrate Halloween this weekend has been the subject of a lively debate.

A new survey released Wednesday by PRA Inc. shows more than half of age-appropriate Manitoba children won’t be trick-or-treating this year.

Nearly 42 percent of those surveyed said at least one of their children would be going door-to-door, while almost six in 10 children won’t be.

“Of interest, most parents are setting guidelines for their kids consistently, as just 1% of parents indicated that at least one of their kids would be trick or treating, while at least one kid would not for COVID-related reasons,” pollsters said.

Winnipeg a hotspot for COVID-19

With most new cases of the coronavirus being reported in the Winnipeg region in recent weeks, parents in the city are more likely to keep their children at home on Halloween compared to other areas of the province.

Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of parents in Winnipeg are not planning on sending their children out for Halloween due to COVID-19, compared to just 29 percent of parents outside Winnipeg.

On the household side, just one in three (31 percent) are planning on distributing candy this year, while 41 percent have decided not to hand out candy due to COVID-19. The other 28 percent are not handing out candy for reasons unrelated to COVID-19.

PRA conducted the survey from October 2-5, 2020, using its Manitoba Panel. In total, 1,000 Manitobans completed the survey.

PRA Press Release – Survey With Manitoba Halloween Plans by ChrisDca on Scribd