But she also has children. Eli, her 3-year old, is very excited to celebrate Halloween, and he may dress up as a fireman. He's sure he'll be dressing his 6-month-old sister Isabelle in his Baby Shark costume from last year.
Wen hasn't given up on Halloween and doesn't think you should either. Here are her recommendations for reducing your risk while still having a fun Halloween season.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
CNN: How do you plan to mark Halloween?
Dr. Leana Wen: If it's not raining, our plan is to get together outside with another neighborhood family with little kids. We'll have to keep a close eye on the kids to make sure they stay at a safe distance, 6 feet away from one another.
The plan is for everyone to dress up and go on a scavenger hunt in our yard for treats. We'll have individually packaged snacks and drinks. Then we'll have an indoor movie night for just our household, probably watching "Monsters, Inc." or "Wallace and Gromit" (Eli's favorite ever). It's not quite the same as going trick-or-treating, but it allows us to have some fun and social time while staying safe.
CNN: What concerns you about Halloween?
Wen: Most people know that getting large groups of people together to go knocking on doors and then reaching into the same bowl is a bad idea during the pandemic. So I worry that people are going to get together indoors for parties, which is also a bad idea.
What's driving this latest surge of infections is small gatherings of friends and extended family. We need to keep in mind that our loved ones are just as likely to be asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19 as strangers. People shouldn't get together indoors except members of the same household.
CNN: What if it's cold or it rains?
Wen: Bundle up if it's cold. If you have a fire pit or external heater, that could also help. If it rains, consider rescheduling to the following day or weekend.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance about aerosol spread — these are the much smaller microscopic particles that carry the virus and can be expelled just by breathing or speaking. They can linger in the air for hours, and our 6-foot distance rule is likely not enough — not even with masks — if you're indoors in a space that's not well ventilated. I'd advise masks any time people need to be indoors. Keep as much space as you can, at least 10 feet.
Really try not to get together indoors with people not in your household. Instead, focus on getting people outdoors. There are lots of creative ways to celebrate Halloween outdoors, and it's much, much safer.
CNN: How can you keep kids apart outdoors? That seems hard.
Wen: It's hard, but it's possible. Talk to your kids about why it's important well in advance of the holiday, and set expectations in advance. Discuss why these limits need to be set. Come up with ground rules for how far they need to be from one another. If they can't stay at least 6 feet apart, they will need to wear masks. Get kids' buy-in and brainstorm fun things to do together, safe
