Covid-19 May Pose Challenges To Census: Paul Chan

The Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, said on Sunday that the government was preparing for what he called a "special challenge" next year, as it prepared to conduct a census amid the pandemic.

Chan revealed on his blog that the Census and Statistics Department would make more use of technology to gather data, such as creating encrypted surveys, and developing a computer system so that census-takers can immediately enter the data they collect.

He said the arrangements would boost efficiency and lower the risk of virus transmission.

But he also pointed out that the government was still hiring census-takers - or enumerators - to physically visit households to conduct face-to-face interviews, in order to cater to the needs of different people.

He said the Census and Statistics Department would provide training and personal protective equipment for interviewers to ensure safety.

Chan said he recently visited the department's headquarters to learn more about its data-gathering work.

He pointed out that the once-in-a-decade census was vital to the government's policy-making, including providing a better grasp of the ageing population to help with devising medical and welfare measures.

The population census will take place between June and August next year.