The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted dates, events and lives, but the 2020 Census continues pushing on.

Census workers are adapting to new schedules for various phases while awaiting the result of a request to Congress to move the traditional deadline for census data.

“Our operations, of course, have been paused during the pandemic,” said Susan Licate, a media specialist for the Census Bureau. “It's a very fluid situation.”

Like most census locations, the Cranberry Township Area Census Office temporarily suspended field operations earlier this year in an effort to keep citizens and census workers safe.

By following local and state guidelines on an office-by-office basis, census workers are striving to stay on schedule.

Licate said when workers are able to work, they're working very hard to keep up with changing census dates.

“We are prepared,” Licate said. “We're on track.”

There are two major deadline changes, according to Licate.

The first is the outdoors homeless count, which is now scheduled for Sept. 22 through 24. The second is the transitory location count, now scheduled Sept. 3 through 28.

The group quarters count was completed July 1, according to Licate. Census workers are now preparing for the Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) phase, which will be launched Monday.

“This gives folks a great option,” Licate said. “(Some) people prefer that in-person communication.”

MQA locations will be established at soon-to-be-announced spots where people go to get essential items, according to Licate. During the MQA phase, census workers will be available to assist citizens who have questions about filling out the census.

To limit the potential for COVID-19 exposure and to be more efficient, Licate said citizens are asked to bring their own electronic device, if possible, to MQA locations. Otherwise, devices will be available with the assistance of census workers. “All census takers, of course, will be in full PPE (personal protective equipment),” Licate said. “We are looking at this as a week-to-week basis.”

Licate said one of the plus sides of MQA is citizens don't have to fill out census questions in their community. Rather than having a census taker come to their home, citizens can stop by any MQA location.

Licate said MQA locations still are being secured. The phase following MQA is now scheduled for Aug. 11 to Aug. 31 and is nonresponse follow-up. This is when census takers track down information from citizens who haven't self-responded.

Takers will wear protective gear and practice social distancing when they visit homes. But Licate said most of them should be familiar faces. “These are local folks working local jobs,” Licate said.

Census data by law must be presented to the U.S. president by Dec. 31 in the year of the census.

Because of the pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau has asked Congress for a deadline extension through April 30, 2021. The Fair and Accurate Census Act was proposed by the Oversight and Reform Committee to the House of Representatives in May. The same act was introduced to the Senate in June. That legislation is pending.

The bigger question is what happens if the four-month extension isn't granted.

“We really don't want to speculate,” said Al Fontenot, associate director for Decennial Census Programs, Wednesday afternoon during a news conference. “We are past the window of being able to get those counts by those dates at this point.”

Licate said while she can't comment on pending legislation, the census continues working toward pre-established deadline dates.

Citizens can still complete the census online through Oct. 31 or by phone at the toll free number 1-844-330-2020. Several languages are available for callers.

Licate said due to the volume of calls received, callers may be given the option to receive a callback instead of waiting on the line. This is the only time a census worker will call a citizen, according to Licate.