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The census organising team has said field workers will observe COVID-19 quarantine protocols when Census 2021 starts 10 October 2021.

Some 400 Census enumerators, who will start visiting all households in the Cayman Islands from the next day (11 October 2021), have been trained to strictly follow protocols around places of quarantine during the Cayman Islands population and housing data count.

The Economics and Statistics Office’s Census Team, which is tasked with conducting Census 2021, said enumerators will avoid any contact with persons in quarantine.

The team said, starting Sunday, 26 September, Travel Cayman will begin distributing Census Protocol COVID-19 Quarantine Information Cards to households in quarantine and all incoming travellers.

Explaining further, ESO Director Mr. Adolphus Laidlow said if a resident is in quarantine, the resident will show this Quarantine Protocol card given to them by the Travel Cayman Team to the mask-wearing enumerator visiting their household, who will not attempt to conduct a census interview.

Enumerators have been trained to knock on the door of a household, then step back six feet from the door before introducing themselves.

All enumerators will wear distinctive Census shirts, carry Census bags and IDs, and use their Census tablets to record the interview information. Households are not required to touch any of the census materials during the interview.

A resident who is in COVID-19 quarantine will show the card to the enumerator.

Upon seeing the card, the enumerator will leave the premises, thereby bypassing that household interview. No attempt will be made to conduct a face-to-face Census 2021 interview with that household at that time, the Director reiterated.

However, all in quarantine will be enumerated either by phone or in person at a later date suitable to both, after their quarantine is complete.

Residents in possession of the Census 2021 Quarantine Information Cards will be required to follow the information contained in the card to ensure they are enumerated. This will enable them to call, or WhatsApp text, the ESO hotline provided on the card to arrange a future telephone interview. Alternatively, they can set up an appointment date for an in-person interview by an enumerator upon completion of their quarantine.

Enumerators will wear masks and carry hand sanitisers to disinfect their hands before visiting each household, the Director emphasised.

(GIS)