Halloween is just around the corner, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has changed how El Camino students are celebrating this year.

For health and safety reasons, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released a list of guidelines for people to follow when planning their Halloween festivities.

According to the guidelines, gatherings and events such as parties, carnivals and haunted house attractions are not allowed.

Though it is allowed, door-to-door and car-to-car trick-or-treating is not recommended due to concerns of poor social distancing and the potential risk of sharing food.

The LA County Department of Public Health recommends people participate in online parties and contests, drive-in and drive-thru events, Halloween themed house decorations and at-home or drive-in movie nights.

Students, including Abel Goni, English teaching major, will be celebrating the holiday inside this year to ensure their safety and their families’ safety.

“Since there really isn’t gonna be much to do, like no parties, I’m most likely gonna be either at work or indoors watching horror movies all night,” Goni said.

Though watching movies is something that Goni and his younger siblings did before, this year will be different because they won’t be trick-or-treating.

“Every year, it’s usually just me, like, taking my brothers out and then we’d go by every house until there’s nobody there,” Goni said. “And then [we] come back, get all the candy, and then obviously my mom would be like ‘Oh you guys can’t eat all of that’ and, you know, I’d be left with all the candy.”

While the LA County Department of Health does not recommend trick-or-treating, the handout of treat bags from a safe distance is permitted.

Theater major Sean Roche also plans on watching movies at home this Halloween.

“I’m probably just gonna stay inside, probably have a Halloween horror movie marathon. Maybe group-watch movies with some friends,” Roche said.

Many students have been watching scary movies at home during October to stay safe while still getting into the holiday spirit. However, some are stepping out and celebrating from outside of their homes.

Victoria Jimenez, psychology major, will be with her step-daughter looking at Halloween decorations during the day and partying at night with family and friends.

“No trick-or-treating or getting candy, but more of like going around looking at houses,” Jimenez said. “But at night, it’s party time.”

Like most other holidays, in past years, Halloween allowed students to get together and go out. People participated in many Halloween-themed activities like parties, movies, amusement parks, pumpkin patches and haunted houses.

But now, with the concern of COVID-19 on people’s minds, most students are cautious about who they will be hanging out with due to the difficulties and worry over their personal safety.

“It’s a weird thing to start viewing your interactions with people as ‘Is this safe?’ It’s a lot of stress,” Roche said.