Houston safely celebrated Halloween as COVID-19 cases increase

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Across the Houston area, families found creative and new ways to celebrate Halloween safely amid another wave of COVID-19 cases.

In north Houston, dozens of decorated cars, motorcycles and custom corvettes lined up in a shopping center parking lot on Cypress Creek Parkway for a trunk-or-treat event, hosted by the local Black Sabbath Motorcycle club.

"Traditionally, during trick-or-treating, you're going around house to house. In the time we're living, the COVID-19 times, that's kind of dangerous," Club President "Big Works" said. "We got the idea of trunk-or-treat, which we've done before. But it is a safe space where they can social distance. We have pre-packaged candy, so they don't have to dig in the candy bowls."

He said their work doesn't stop there. They plan to host a drive-thru toy drive on Dec. 5 to continue to help local families in need.

In Sunnyside, Mayor Sylvester Turner attended the Feeder Pattern & Community Annual Trunk-or-Treat Event where masks, books and food were handed out to children and their families.

Mayor Turner said Saturday that Houston reported 512 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths.

"It's a reminder that the virus is very much prevalent in our community," Turner said. "But, we don't want it to get out of control. We want it to be a manageable virus. So, let me again remind people to keep their masks on."

Mayor Turner said Houston is seeing a gradual uptick in COVID-19 cases.

Dr. David Persse spoke with ABC13 on Friday about the importance of testing and encouraging people who may have been exposed, or come into close contact with someone who tested positive, to go get a COVID-19 test and self-quarantine.

"This is what people do not like to hear. But, the truth is, if you go and get tested and you test negative, you still have to complete your quarantine," Dr. Persse said. "The thing about testing at that point is that should you test positive, you now know who else needs to quarantine and find out who else or close contacts of you that need to quarantine. That's how we are going to stop the virus from spreading."

Dr. Persse noted that since the summer months, the city and Harris County has increased capacity at testing sites and recently the city has seen more people getting tested.

"It appears that the younger folks across all neighborhoods are the ones that are starting to test positive more so than we saw four months ago," Dr. Persse said.

For more on CDC recommendations for Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos celebrations, click here.

Plus, a list of free testing sites and operating hours in Houston and Harris County.

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