IOWA CITY, Iowa — As of March 2, the Iowa Department of Public Health has tested 39 people for the COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus but no one has tested positive; but as the 2020 census approaches, workers are concerned about the virus.
Sharon Swan, of Iowa City, has applied to be a census worker like she has done in the past. She tracks people down who don't turn in their census cards, calls or fills out the online survey. She goes door to door getting a headcount. Those counts turn into dollars for public transit, roads and healthcare.
After seeing people wearing masks on an airplane during a recent trip, Swan is second-guessing going to strangers' homes.
"There should be a plan in place so that we can get an accurate census," she said.
A number of U.S. senators shared the same sentiment. They're pushing for a plan to protect census workers from any coronavirus risk.
"The census talks a lot about counting everybody and coming in at the right place," said Coralville Assistant City Administrator Ellen Habel.
Habel said the best way to protect census workers is for people to respond to their 2020 census invitations by mail, phone or online.
"People will start receiving their census letters on March 12," she said. "For the first time, you won't get a census letter, you'll get an invitation to go online or apply via phone.
Swan won't be called to work until May. She said she will wait and see how the virus plays out.
"I don't think we have to go crazy over this but I think that a plan still needs to be in place just like other businesses," she said.