Use Your Noodle on Halloween [OPINION]

Saturday is Halloween. I'm not sure which is scarier, Halloween on a Saturday under a full moon or the government propaganda concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. My mother always told me, "use your noodle." So I am passing on some sage advice to you: use your noodle.

Everyone from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has offered guidance for how to celebrate Halloween this year. I have included links to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the New Bedford Health Department so that you can, if you chose, review their recommendations and suggestions. It's up to you. You see, I trust your judgment.

We have lived in the COVID era for seven months now. We know we should wash our hands, wear our masks, and keep a distance between us. We know that. We also understand that certain folks among us have a greater vulnerability than others to the virus. We get it. I think it is safe to say that we have become corona savvy by this point.

I am not going to attempt to lecture anyone about what to do and not to do tomorrow. If you are struggling to figure out how you and your family should celebrate Halloween this year, use your noodle. That simply means use common sense. To further simplify matters, when in doubt, what would your mother do?

Some folks are attempting to use the virus for political purposes. Others try to force their rigid views on everyone else. If you feel your family should avoid contact with the outside world this weekend, then do it. Conversely, if you believe you can maneuver your family through Halloween weekend safely given what you've learned to date, have at it.

By the way, the same advice holds for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You know your family, your situation, the risks, and the precautions. Now, use your noodle and enjoy the holidays.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.