Halloween can be a scary night for children.
But this year, it’s the parents who are spooked.
Worried about the spread of the H1N1 virus, which has infected more than a million Americans and killed more than 1,000, many parents and event organizers are changing the way they do things this Halloween.
Some are stockpiling hand sanitizer. Others have decided not to pass out candy or let their kids go trick-or-treating. A few are steering clear of bounce houses and other breeding grounds for germs.
"I would say bobbing for apples would definitely be out — not a good idea," said Dr. Gary Weinstein, chief of critical-care medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. "And bounce houses? They are filled with secretions from coughs and snot and everything else. I think from a health standpoint, that is risky behavior.
"As a parent, you don’t want to be hysterical, but you want your kids to be safe. Anything you do to decrease their exposure is a sensible thing."
Tiffany Fulcher, 33, a mother of two in Mansfield, is among those making changes because of the H1N1 pandemic. For starters, her kids aren’t wearing store-bought costumes.
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