trick or treat

Halloween & COVID-19: Have Fun While Staying Safe

Posted on by Shield Insurance Agency

​​Choosing costumes, decorating pumpkins, and getting special treats brings joy to many children at Halloween. Some Halloween traditions may look different this year to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are still plenty of ways families can have fun while avoiding the scare of being exposed to or spreading the virus.

Most importantly, keep doing what you have been doing: avoiding large gatherings, keeping a distance of six feet from others, wearing cloth face coverings, and washing hands often. Some ideas for ways to keep safety steps in place while celebrating Halloween:

Halloween & COVID-19: Have Fun While Staying Safe

Virtual Halloween costume parties & parades

Use video chats for an online party with friends and family and show off costumes and play games. Have fun with it! In cold climates, this may be the first time your child can wear a costume that isn’t buried under a parka! Outdoor costume parades are another option, if it is possible for everyone to stay at least 6 feet apart and wear cloth face coverings.

​Making masks part of the Halloween costume Encourage children to use their cloth face coverings as part of their cos​​tume (think surgeon or superhero!). However, be wary of painting the masks, since some paints contain toxins​. Also keep in mind that a costume mask is not a substit​ute for a cloth face covering unless it has multiple layers of breathable fabric and covers the mouth and nose snugly. Also, do not wear a costume mask over a cloth face covering, because it can make breathing more difficult.​

​Spooky Halloween movie night

Celebrate with a movie night and dress as your favorite characters. Do this as a family at home or consider letting your child watch with their friends while video chatting, with everyone starting the movie at the same time. For tips on finding age-appropriate movies for your child, read more here.

Decorating pumpkins

This is one Halloween tradition that’s as safe and fun as ever. As always, just be careful to avoid pumpkin carving injuries. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting. When the carving is done, consider putting a battery-operated light rather than an open-flame candle inside. Roast the seeds​ from the pumpkin for a healthy snack!

​Halloween-themed treats​

Make some fun Halloween treats as a family. Decorate a pizza with toppings in the shape of a jack-o’-lantern, for example, or make tangerine pumpkins (peel the tangerine and stick a thin slice of celery on top to look like a stem). Make sure the treats are not choking hazards if you have children under age 3.

Outdoor community events

Look for community events focused on safe ways to have fun. These may include programs offered by a park district, arboretum, zoo or other outdoor venues in your area. Stay away from crowds and clustering, and follow safe distance rules even when outdoors.

Avoid indoor events such as haunted houses. A local haunted forest or corn maze may be a better option, as long as cloth face covering use, physical distancing and one-way walk through is enforced. If you think there may be screaming, leave extra distance to lower the risk of spreading respiratory virus. If you go to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard, also use hand sanitizer before and after touching what you pick.

If your children will be outside, mark their costumes with reflective tape. Remind them to be careful around cars, as drivers may not see them. Make sure shoes fit well and costumes are short enough to prevent tripping or contact with flames.

If there is trick-or-treating in your community…

Trick-or-treating may be discouraged or cancelled in some areas this year. A family scavenger “haunt” (hunt) for Halloween treats in your home or yard can be a fun alternative. If trick-or-treating is still on in your neighborhood, avoid large groups or clustering at doorsteps or anywhere else.

If you give out treats, consider sitting outside and lining up individually prepackaged goodies on a table for children to take (don’t forget to wear your own mask!). Or, think about other ways you can safely avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters. Some families are decorating old shipping or wrapping paper tubes to make chutes that deliver treats, for example. Non-edible treats are a good option, especially for children who suffer from food allergies.

How much touching objects spreads the COVID-19 virus isn’t clear. But if your child collects treats from a few, socially distanced neighbors, you may want to wipe the packages or let them sit for a couple days before giving them to your child. And, of course, good hand hygiene like washing hands or using hand sanitizer before and after trick-or-treating is always a good idea!

​Remember

Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic is a chance for you and your children to get creative, and maybe even invent some new traditions for your family! It’s also a great opportunity to model flexibility and a positive spirit. If you’re excited and make it fun, your kids will have fun, too.

More importantly, this is a good time to teach children the importance of protecting not just themselves but others, as well. The decisions we make on this one day can have a ripple effect beyond our own families. Finding safe ways to celebrate can create magical memories.

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How To Treat These 3 Cyber Tricks

Posted on by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Blog | Cyber Tricks | Contact our office today!

It’s All A Scam! 3 Cyber Tricks

Halloween is a few short days away, and under the cover of the dark web, cybercriminals are refining their sinister methods. And they’re only getting more sneaky and destructive.

Here are three of their most common tricks and how you can avoid getting fooled.

1)  You get a dreadful call that your computer is infected

You receive a call from someone disguised as a technician who claims your computer has a virus, and for $300 they can fix your problem by accessing your machine.

You provide your payment information and login credentials, and it appears that the tech is “fixing” your computer. In fact, they are either doing absolutely nothing or downloading malware to transmit your personal and financial information. Scary, right?

How do you prevent this menacing scam?

  • Document the phone number of the caller and their name
  • Hang up
  • Block their number from calling again
  • Submit your number to the National Do Not Call Registry
  • Report the matter to the (IC3), which collects and follows up on this information

No reputable computer security company or software firm calls to inform anyone that they have a computer virus. Normally, your firewall will prompt a message prior to accessing a bad file or site, and your anti-virus software will scan and fix your files automatically.

2) You receive a shocking email

An email pops into your inbox with a subject line that says, “Your payment of $4,890 to PayPal has been approved,” or, “I am NOT paying this invoice.”

You can’t resist the urge to open it; it might seem like you’re on the hook for a lot of money or being accused of something you didn’t do.

Emails with subject lines like these are remarkably successful in luring their victims into opening them. The real danger lies in the links. Clicking on these could open the door to malicious software, with ransomware being the usual suspect.

How to prevent this sinister scam of cyber tricks?

  • Beware of signs that an email is malicious or fraudulent
  • Delete the email
  • If this happens at work, alert the appropriate person or department, so other employees can be warned and protected

3) You are tricked into transferring funds by an imposter

A Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam usually starts off with an email that makes a pressing demand. It appears to come from an executive or trusted vendor who is unavailable to confirm the demand.

The sender demands that you transfer funds immediately to facilitate a deal or to pay an invoice. The receiver may be deceived by the sender’s inside information, such as details of a pending deal or specific relationship.

How to prevent this nefarious scam?

  • Watch for emails that demand you make a funds transfer, change vendor information, or supply personal or financial information
  • Before taking action, confirm the request verbally, either by phone call to a known number or in person
  • Alert the appropriate internal contact so that preventive actions can be taken, such as blocking the scammers and raising co-workers’ awareness
  • Report the attempt to the IC3 on their website.
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10 Safety Tips To Follow During Halloween

Posted on by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Blog | Safety Tips | Start A Quote Today!

The apples have been bobbed, the pumpkins are carved, the cobwebs are hung, and the spooky movie marathon has been viewed, leading up to one of the most anticipated nights of the year for both kids and adults: Halloween.

But some Halloween statistics can be pretty frightening. According to SafeKids.org, only 1/3 of parents talk to their little goblins about Halloween, yet 3/4 of parents report having safety concerns. American Modern® has collected a trove of tips to keep kids of all ages safe this Halloween season.

1. Before you leave the house to go haunting, check your smoke detectors. 

With all of the neighborhood jack-o-lanterns aglow, and the occasional backyard fire-pits on Halloween night, it’s a good idea to double-check that your smoke detectors are fully functioning.

2. Wear comfortable Halloween costumes that glow in the dark. 

Whether it’s a Ninja or Cinderella, fastening reflective tape onto costumes is an inexpensive and easy way to increase visibility during the night. It’s also great to put this same tape on trick-or-treat bags while you’re at it. Other handy items to carry include flashlights or glow sticks. The safest costumes are bright and reflective so you and your little ones will be more visible.

3. Make-up matters. 

Picking non-toxic make-up is important for you and your child’s safety. It’s always wise to do a small skin test in advance to ensure there is no irritation or allergic reactions. Put a small amount on the arm of the person who will be wearing it. If a rash, redness, swelling, or other signs of irritation develop where the makeup was applied, that’s a sign of a possible allergy. Additionally, you can quickly check the FDA’s list of color additives to see if the colors are FDA approved. If they aren’t approved for their intended use, don’t use them. That list can be checked here: https://www.fda.gov/forindustry/coloradditives/coloradditiveinventories/ucm115641.htm

4. Flame-fighting halloween costumes. 

You never know if you’ll end up fireside making S’mores and telling ghost stories on Halloween. So, always make sure costumes say “flame resistant” on the label. Believe it or not, some clothing products are not flame resistant and sometimes will even have a “keep away from flames” warning. If you make your costume, flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon are a safer choice.

5. Choose your “weapons” wisely. 

It’s important to make sure any props or weapons that really sell the costume are soft and flexible, such as a cardboard sword. It’s easy for children to get excited about their character. So while they are flexing their imagination, make sure their props are safe and not harmful to others. It goes without saying, but be sure to keep these props (and your children) away from any candles or open fires.

6. Commit to the costume, but scrap the decorative or colored contact lenses. 

The FDA and several eye care professional groups, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, are discouraging the use of decorative or colored contact lenses this year. If bought and used without a valid prescription, or without the involvement of an eye care professional, or without appropriate follow-up care, the lenses can lead to significant risks of eye injuries, including blindness.

7. Handle candy with care. 

First, you want to pick a safe bag, tote, or plastic food container to collect treats in. Up-cycling containers at home can be creative and environmentally friendly, but be sure what you are using did not previously contain any harmful toxins, household cleaning items, or any other possibly poisonous material. Also, both kids and adults should not eat candy until it has been inspected at home. No nibbling along the way! Avoid any candy that is homemade or looks like the packaging has been tampered with.

8. Street safety. 

Children should always be properly supervised outdoors by parents. It’s best for children to travel in groups with several parents and stay on the sidewalk, even if the street seems quiet in terms of traffic. Remind your child of the basics: looking both ways before crossing (at corners with crosswalks only), having a buddy to hold hands with while crossing the street, and not talking to strangers. It’s also smart to make sure your child has their phone number and address either memorized or in a safe place.

9. No lights, no treats. 

Houses that do not look like they are celebrating or participating in Halloween should be skipped.

10. In case of tricks, act fast. 

While the origins are mysterious, egging is a popular, but dreaded Halloween trick. Did you know that if a smashed egg is left too long on your house or car it could damage the paint? Quickly clean any egg residue off to avoid damage to painted surfaces. In addition, look out for others around you and notify your neighbors of any mischief-makers in order to keep your neighborhood safe.

As you and your little ones canvass the neighborhood for this year’s candy haul, crunching leaves beneath your feet, American Modern hopes these helpful tips and tricks will make this year’s Halloween safe and sweet.

*If you have any questions or someone you know has been exposed to a potentially harmful substance, you can call the American Association of Poison Control Centers immediately at (800) 222-1222. They are available to assist you 24 hours a day. In case of an emergency, call 911 immediately.
From all of us at Shield Agency, we wish you, and your family a safe and fun Halloween!

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