Census Bureau Makes Changes To Operations Due To Coronavirus
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The United States Census Bureau is making changes to its operations plan due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
These changes are being made to help protect the health and safety of its workers as well as the public.
A main change being made is being done in order to make sure that college students are being counted properly.
Students enrolled at colleges and universities that are temporarily closed due to COVID-19 will still be counted.
Even if they are at home on Census Day, April 1st, they should be counted according to the residence criteria -- where they live and sleep most of the time.
Schools and universities are being asked to contact their students and remind them to respond.
Students living away from home at school should be counted at school even if they are temporarily elsewhere due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Group Quarters Operation, which counts people in nursing homes, college dorms, prisons, and other institutional living facilities are offering multiple ways to respond to the Census, including electronic filing or self-numeration.
The Census Bureau is contacting all group quarters administrators who have requested an in-person visit and asking them to consider an electronic response or considering drop-off and pick-up of paper forms to minimize in-person contact with Census Bureau staff.
The Census Bureau is continuing to monitor the situation and is taking steps in congress with public health officials.
