The Census Bureau is gearing up to resume its operations in rural parts of the country after initially suspending them amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the Census Bureau announced it would resume hand delivery of paper forms and hire door knockers in some local offices this week. Operations will commence in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.
The bureau said in a press release that it will make the health and safety of its staff and the public a priority by providing safety training on social distancing practices for its returning staff. The bureau also ordered personal protective equipment for field staff, including those who work in an office. The equipment is expected to be provided to staff prior to restarting operations.
As part of their continued operations, the bureau will drop off 2020 census invitation packets at the doorstep of households in areas where the majority of households don’t receive mail at their home, a practice called “Update Leave.” The bureau reported that about 5% of households are counted in the “Update Leave” operation, in which census workers will confirm or update a home’s physical location address and leave a packet.
The “Update Leave” operation doesn’t require any physical interaction between census workers and households, which will help comply with current social distancing standards. All new staff recruits will be fingerprinted to keep applicants moving through the hiring process.
As of May 4, a little over 56% of households had responded to the census.
States can lose out on a significant amount of federal funding without an accurate census count. The data can impact rural development, healthcare, employment, and education services, among other societal functions. The count also determines congressional representation, and historically, the number of lawmakers serving in the U.S. House of Representatives has shifted as census numbers changed.
Census information is collected every 10 years, and its participation is a requirement by law. The extended deadline for the 2020 census will go through Oct. 31 due to the interference brought by the COVID-19 virus.
