FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2020
Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

To help ensure the only thing scary about Halloween is the costumes, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued guidance on how to safely celebrate the holiday during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The way we celebrate Halloween in Michigan will be different this year due to COVID-19,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “However, there are still many ways to celebrate safely. The guidance MDHHS issued today provides tips for trick-or-treaters and their parents along with homeowners who wish to hand out treats.”

Tips for all groups include staying home if you are sick; maintaining social distancing of at least six feet; wearing a cloth mask that covers both the mouth and nose; and washing hands often or frequently using hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol.

In addition to the MDHHS guidance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued recommendations this week. CDC considers trick-or-treating a high-risk activity and offers alternative activities to consider as well as safety tips if parents and children choose to trick-or-treat.

Tips for trick-or-treaters and parents:

• Share with your children that this year may be different than last but let them know some of the new ways you plan to celebrate and still have lots of fun.
• Talk with children about safety and social distancing guidelines and expectations. Keep a six-foot distance from others not in your group.
• Participate in one-way trick-or-treating and guide children to stay to the right to ensure social distancing.
• Trick or treat with people you live with.
• Avoid congregating in groups around houses.
• Wear a face mask covering both mouth and nose.
  • A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask.
  • Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask if wearing both causes difficulty breathing. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.

• Only go to houses with safety measures in place.
• Check out halloween2020.org to find exciting activities and ways to celebrate Halloween this year based on levels of COVID risks in your area.

Tips for homeowners:

• Use duct tape to mark six-foot lines in front of home and leading to driveway/front door.
• Position a distribution table between yourself and trick-or-treaters.
• Distribute candy on a disinfected table to eliminate direct contact.
• Consider handing out candy in an open space where distancing is possible, rather than from the front door.
• Consider a neighborhood costume parade; it is an easy way to keep safe space between children.

The guidance also urges Michiganders to consider hosting virtual parties instead of in-person Halloween gatherings. If a gathering is hosted, it should be limited to 10 people or less per Executive Order 2020-176, social distancing should be maintained, cloth masks should be worn and food and party favors should be set out individually to prevent cross contamination.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   October 21, 2020

Media Contact: Matt Helms 517-284-8300
Customer Assistance: 800-292-9555
Michigan.gov/MPSC
Twitter

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Michigan Public Service Commission wants utility customers to be on alert about scammers trying to con people out of money by threatening to cut off their service.

The MPSC’s Customer Assistance Division staff have heard from an increasing number of utility customers about scams in recent weeks. Frequently, callers threaten shutoffs if the customer doesn’t act immediately to pay a fraudulent balance. Callers demand payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, Bitcoin, credit card or other form of payment. In some instances, callers make it appear on caller ID that the call is coming from a utility, a deliberate falsification referred to as caller ID spoofing.

Utility customers should know that utility companies will not contact customers by phone with bullying tactics such as demanding immediate payment to keep services from being shut off in a matter of hours. That kind of a behavior is a red flag that the caller is trying to scam you.

Utility companies also do not:

• Endorse or require a prepaid debit card, gift card, Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency for payments;
• Collect payment at customers’ homes or businesses; or
• Ask for Social Security numbers, bank account or credit card information by phone.

In addition, utility companies do not use coercive tactics to try to get into your home. They require employees or contractors to always wear a company identification badge that the employees will be glad to show if asked.

The MPSC urges customers to be mindful about providing their account numbers or personal information such as name, address, date of birth or Social Security number. If you suspect that a call may be fraudulent, you should hang up and call your utility right away at the phone number on your most recent bill and ask to speak with a customer service representative.

Utility customers who have mistakenly provided bank account information to someone they suspect might have been an impostor should call their bank and local police department. They also may file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at www.michigan.gov/ag and the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357.

For information about the MPSC, visit www.Michigan.gov/MPSC, sign up for one of its listservs, or follow the Commission on Twitter.