Seasonal & Holidays
Bedford Trick-Or-Treating Times Affected By EEE Risk
Despite cooler temperatures, the town hasn't seen its first frost, leaving a risk for the deadly EEE virus lingering.
![Bedford's Town Manager suggested trick-or-treating wrap up by 6 p.m. to avoid exposure to EEE.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/23145323/20191023/012113/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-1189244920___23131121840.jpg)
BEDFORD, MA — Halloween is right around the corner and Bedford is taking precautions to ensure kids and parents are safe while they walk door-to-door. Like many communities across the state, Bedford is tailoring its suggested trick-or-treating times around the risk for Eastern equine encephalitis virus.
While cooler temperatures have moved into town, Bedford hasn't seen it's first frost, leaving residents at risk for mosquito bites that could transfer EEE virus. Mosquitos are most active at dusk, so the town is recommending trick-or-treating wrap up by 6 p.m. The Bedford Town Manager tweeted the announcement, adding that the town is still at an elevated risk.
On Halloween, the sun will set at about 5:42 p.m. Health officials believe the threat of mosquitoes will remain in Massachusetts until the first "hard" frost — which means several hours of temperatures at or below 28 degrees.
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There have been several frosts so far this fall, but no hard frosts yet.
It's getting cold in #Bedford, but there is no sign of a hard freeze before Halloween & the EEE risk level remains elevated. As such, we're recommending Trick or Treating be wrapped up by dusk (6 PM on 10/31). 6 PM gives plenty of time to grab a stomachaches worth of KitKats! pic.twitter.com/AD8Rjd8VcN
— sannstanton (@sannstanton) October 23, 2019
Find out what's happening in Bedfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
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