MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- There may still be more than a month to go before Halloween, but health officials are already predicting it won't be business as usual for the spooky celebration.

COVID-19 restrictions mean no large gatherings, but trick-or-treating may also have to be adapted to pandemic rules, according to the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU).

MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie said Thursday that he's "not ready to say at this point people shouldn’t be trick-or-treating at all. But certainly you will have to do that differently."

Officials are working to establish best practices for a safe Halloween that aren't just about being visible while out at night and having parents check candy before it's eaten, but about preventing the spread of COVID-19.

"Things like smaller groups of children. Instead of reaching into a basket for candies having pre-packaged or potentially bags outside the home, rather than forcing people to come into close contact to pick those up," and Mackie says there are "definitely ways of making the trick-or-treating experience a lot safer."

As for the traditional gatherings, Mackie added, "Large Halloween parties are definitely a bad idea. If you can’t organize a party in a way people can keep two metres apart, please scale it back or don’t do it at all."

Still, preparations are already underway around the region for a number of the season's most popular activities like corn mazes, pumpkin patches and haunted houses, with safety measures in place.