Boston University is “just trying to creep it real” and urging students to celebrate Halloween safely and responsibly this year, according to a University email sent to students Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases continue to rise both nationally and in Massachusetts.
Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, along with Student Health Services Director Judy Platt, wrote BU has noticed students tend to get “lackadaisical” with following COVID-19 guidelines when in gatherings — and when alcohol is involved. He said any gatherings that do happen should be kept small.
“I would say to people this is just not the year to be having a Halloween bash,” Elmore said in an interview. “You really need to just stick with people and maybe get to know each other.”
Elmore said while he acknowledges people will gather, it is important that students limit contact with others by staying in groups of around four or less, preferably with those from the same household. He added all students must wear University-recommended masks.
“A Halloween mask is not a substitute for your cloth or paper mask,” Elmore said.
BU will host a number of virtual events this weekend so students can celebrate Halloween safely.
Student Government President Oliver Pour said because students cannot go out to celebrate this semester, StuGov will bring Halloween to them.
“BU students can really experience an incredible Halloween from their own dorm or suite room or own apartment,” Pour said.
StuGov and F— It Won’t Cut It are collaborating to host “Hasan Saves Halloween,” a virtual Q-and-A session with comedian and actor Hasan Minhaj, which will be preceded by an hour of student talent acts and followed by a scary movie marathon.
Pour said snacks will also be provided for students to pick up at most dorms around campus and take back to their rooms for the event.
He called the Q-and-A a “once and a lifetime event.”
“This Halloween is unlike any other,” Pour said. “We hope that thousands of students will be able to tune in.”
Juliette Stokes, a sophomore in the College of General Studies, said she will be watching “Hasan Saves Halloween” with her floormates using her neighbor’s projector.
“She thought, ‘Oh, we can just project it up on the screen and we’ll have a couple of the kids come on the floor in and out watching it,” Stokes said. “It can just be something at least kind of fun for people to do.”
Stokes said though BU has so far done well in containing the spread of the virus, she is concerned about Halloween parties. Many students have been feeling “invincible” in the wake of low positivity rates, Stokes added, but she feels confident in BU’s regulations.
Other actions StuGov has taken to promote responsibility during the pandemic, Pour said, include sending to student organizations a pledge asking them to keep the community safe. Student groups can make their pledge online to adhere to University protocols.
David Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine, said as the weather gets colder, indoor gatherings are becoming a source of increased spread for the coronavirus.
“It’s harder if you have indoor gatherings,” Hamer said, “Unless you have good airflow and are wearing masks, there’s an increased risk of transmission indoors.”
This issue, he said, is not unique to Halloween, but will persist through winter.
In spite of the expected cold weather this weekend, Hamer said students should ideally keep any gatherings in an outdoor environment to limit possible transmission of the virus.
Hamer said he believes Halloween parties might cause a spike in cases on campus. He added the increased number of cases in the Boston area means the risk is much greater now than at the beginning of the semester.
Elmore said he hopes students take the University’s Halloween guidelines seriously.
“This is a festive time of year, even with a pandemic,” Elmore said. “I hope that, I know this sounds really weird, but in the spirit of Halloween, we stay away from each other.”
