萬圣節就要到了，而美國新冠疫情指標又有抬頭傾向，最近一周單日新增確診病例和死亡病例均呈上升趨勢。為防止新冠病毒在萬圣節活動中傳播，美國疾控中心發布了萬圣節活動指南，按照安全風險將節日活動分為三個等級，并建議人們采取安全的慶祝方式。

In a year that's been plenty scary, this much is clear: Pandemic Halloween will be different than regular Halloween. Many traditional ways of celebrating are now considerably more frightful than usual, because now they bring the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

在這相當恐怖的一年里，有一點十分清楚：疫情期間的萬圣節將與以往不同。由于擔心會傳播新冠病毒，許多傳統的慶祝方式比往常更加可怕。

Accordingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines on how to celebrate Halloween safely. No big surprise: Classic door-to-door trick-or-treating and crowded, boozy costume parties are not recommended.

因此，美國疾病控制與預防中心發布了關于如何安全慶祝萬圣節的新指南，意料之中的是：傳統的挨家挨戶的“不給糖就搗蛋”和擁擠的、醉醺醺的服裝派對活動都不在推薦之列。

boozy [?bu?zi]：adj.嗜酒的；酩酊的

The CDC's guidelines group Halloween activities into lower-risk, moderate-risk and higher-risk buckets.

美國疾病控制與預防中心的指導方針將萬圣節活動分為低風險、中風險和高風險三類。

The higher-risk category includes both door-to-door trick-or-treating and events where kids get treats from the trunks of cars in a big parking lot.

高風險的類別包括挨家挨戶的“不給糖就搗蛋”，以及孩子們從大停車場的汽車后備箱里得到糖果的活動。

Also no-nos: indoor haunted houses where people will be crowded and screaming, which could send infectious particles flying. Going on hayrides with people who aren't in your household or fall festivals in rural areas also carry a risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. And using alcohol and drugs "can cloud [judgment] and increase risky behaviors," the CDC warns — though that's equally true in any season.

高風險活動還有：人們擠在一起尖叫的室內鬼屋，這可能會讓傳染性飛沫噴濺；和非家庭成員一起坐干草車，或去參加農村地區的秋季節日，這些也有傳播新冠病毒的風險；美國疾病控制與預防中心警告說，飲酒和嗑藥“會影響判斷并增加危險行為”，不過在任何季節都是如此。

hayride [?he?ra?d]：n.（美）乘坐裝有干草的大車出游

cloud [kla?d]：vt.使混亂

那么，如何過一個充滿刺激的萬圣節呢？

The agency says this way of trick-or-treating poses a moderate risk (compared with the higher risk of the traditional style): Kids could pick up individually wrapped gift bags at the end of a driveway or yard while still preserving social distance.

美國疾病控制與預防中心表示，以下這些“不給糖就搗蛋”的玩法屬于中等風險（與傳統玩法的高風險相比）：孩子們可以在保持社交距離的情況下，在車道或院子盡頭拿到單獨包裝的禮物袋。

You could also organize a small outdoor costume parade where everyone is 6 feet apart. An outdoor costume party would also be considered moderate risk, if people wear masks and stay 6 feet away from each other.

你也可以組織一個小型的戶外換裝游行，人們之間保持6英尺（約合1.8米）的社交距離。如果人們戴上口罩并間隔6英尺，戶外換裝派對也屬于中風險。

Haunted houses are out, and haunted forests are in. The CDC says an open-air scare-fest is moderately risky, so long as the route is one-way, people wear masks appropriately and stay 6 feet apart. But there's a caveat: "If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised."

雖然不推薦去鬼屋，但搞個鬧鬼的森林是可以的。美國疾病控制與預防中心表示，只要人們正確佩戴口罩，設定單行路線，并保持6英尺的距離，那么露天的驚嚇聚會也屬于中風險。但該機構警告稱：“如果人們可能會尖叫，建議增加間隔距離。”

caveat [?k?vi?t]：n.警告

What about apple picking and pumpkin patches? Risks can be reduced if people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or apples, wear masks and maintain social distance.

那摘蘋果和挖南瓜呢？如果人們在摸南瓜或蘋果前使用洗手液，戴口罩并保持社交距離，風險就會降低。

Also on the moderate-risk list: an outdoor scary movie night with local friends who are socially distanced. Again: The more screaming there is, the more space is needed for safe social distancing.

同樣在中等風險列表上的還有：與當地朋友晚上在戶外看恐怖電影并保持社交距離。同樣，尖叫越多，就需要越遠的安全社交距離。

If you want to be really safe? Then you need to plan for either virtual activities or ones that you do largely with your own household.

如果你想要真正安全？那么你需要安排線上活動或者主要與家人一起舉行家庭活動。

The CDC's lower-risk activities include carving pumpkins with your household, or outdoors with friends while socially distanced. It also suggests a Halloween scavenger hunt: looking for witches, spiderwebs and black cats outside houses while walking around — or a scavenger hunt for treats in your own home.

美國疾病控制與預防中心公布的低風險活動包括：與家人一起雕刻南瓜，或與朋友在戶外活動并保持社交距離。該機構還建議在萬圣節進行一次尋物游戲：在室外四處走動，尋找女巫、蜘蛛網和黑貓，或者在自己家里找糖果。

And what about masks? A costume mask is no substitute for a cloth mask, according to the agency, but don't double up with one over the other because that can make it hard to breathe. Instead, consider a Halloween-themed cloth mask, the CDC suggests.

那口罩呢？根據該機構的說法，服裝面具不能代替布口罩，但不要同時佩戴面具和口罩，因為那樣會使呼吸困難。該機構建議說，人們可以考慮萬圣節主題的布口罩。

A costume mask can protect against spreading the coronavirus if it's like a regular cloth mask: two or more layers of breathable fabric covering the nose and mouth, without gaps around the face.

如果服裝面具與普通布口罩一樣能夠用兩層或以上的透氣織物覆蓋口鼻，而且臉部周圍沒有空隙，也可以用來防止新冠病毒的傳播。

And remember this, friendly neighbors: If you think you might have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who does, don't attend in-person Halloween activities — and certainly don't hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.

親愛的鄰居們，請記住這一點：如果你認為自己可能感染了新冠肺炎，或者接觸過新冠感染者，不要參加線下萬圣節活動，當然也不要給他人分發糖果。

【美國疫情最新數據】

美國約翰斯·霍普金斯大學發布的疫情統計數據顯示，截至美國東部時間22日11時23分（北京時間23時23分），美國累計新冠確診病例超過686萬例，累計死亡病例突破20萬例。

英文來源：NPR

翻譯&編輯：yaning