Census Bureau Launches Data Collection Projects to Track COVID-19 Effects in Real Time

Three new projects will help provide a better sense of the economic and societal effects of the pandemic.

1 minute read

April 24, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


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The Census Bureau is launching three new data collection projects to fill a need for accurate, real-time data on the U.S. population and economy during the COVID-19 coronavirus.

An article by Jane Callen for Census.gov explains:

Today, the Census Bureau is launching the Household Pulse Survey. Later this week, the Small Business Pulse Survey will begin. Both will provide weekly measures of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on U.S. households and businesses.

The move comes just weeks after the Census Bureau rolled out a weekly, more localized version of its Business Formation Statistics (BFS) to address the nation’s need for accurate, current information on the health of U.S. businesses.

More details on each of the projects are available in the article. Meanwhile, the Census Bureau is struggling to keep the biennial Census on track, already proposing delays in the final delivery date of that Constitutionally mandated process.

Thursday, April 23, 2020 in U.S. Census Bureau

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