Census officers will conduct household interviews in pairs
To ensure a smooth operation of the 2021 Population Census, which will begin in August, the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) strengthened communication and co-operation with various public departments on the planning for different aspects of the operation, such as timely delivery of notification letters to all households in Macao, protection of data, implementation of pandemic prevention measures and the effective discharge of duties by Census officers.
Delivery of notification letters to over 270,000 households in Macao in early August
The Population Census will be conducted from 7 to 21 August to collect data from more than 270,000 residential, industrial and commercial units in Macao. DSEC has communicated and co-ordinated with the Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT) to ensure that all Census respondents will receive the notification letter in early August. Census officers will collect data from households through mobile tablets, or households may complete the online questionnaire via computer or mobile phone.
Greater convenience with online Census questionnaire
Digital data collection is fully implemented in the 2021 Population Census. DSEC has exchanged views with the Cybersecurity Incident Alert and Response Centre (CARIC) on the technical aspects of cyber security, security of data collection system and data confidentiality. A liaison mechanism between DSEC and CARIC has been established and will operate on a round-the-clock basis to ensure a safe and efficient operation of the relevant systems.
To facilitate submission of information, households are encouraged to respond to the Census via the Online Questionnaire System. Households may complete the online questionnaire between 7 and 16 August by scanning the QR code on the notification letter or questionnaire, or by visiting the webpage of the 2021 Population Census (https://www.dsec.gov.mo/Censos2021). Alternatively, households may schedule an appointment with the Census officers by calling the Census Hotline at 8809 8809.
Pandemic prevention measures for Census officers
To align with the pandemic prevention and control measures of the SAR Government, DSEC has drawn up a series of prevention measures to safeguard the health of the respondents and the Census officers after consultation with the Health Bureau (SS). All Census officers must undergo a nucleic acid test and present a negative test result before 7 August.
During the Census period, Census officers are required to show a green health code and have their temperature checked to enter the Census work stations. They must wear a mask when performing their duties, observe personal hygiene and keep a distance of at least 1 metre from the respondents. They have to wash their hands with alcohol-based handrub and clean the mobile tablets with alcohol before and after visiting a household to reduce the risk of virus transmission. Census officers will be taken off from duty immediately if they feel unwell.
DSEC attaches great importance to the safety of Census officers. All Census officers will be arranged in pairs to conduct household interviews for the 2021 Population Census, and are given strengthened safety guidelines and training to enhance their safety awareness and to deal with adverse situation during field visits. Moreover, the Public Security Police Force (CPSP) and the Judiciary Police (PJ) will provide strong support to DSEC by deploying more police officers to patrol the community during the Census period and by establishing a communication mechanism to offer assistance to Census officers.
The Population Census is conducted in accordance with the Administrative Regulation no. 6/2021 – “2021 Population Census Regime”. All Census respondents must provide the required information within the specified period. DSEC appeals to the public to support the Census, co-operate with the visiting Census officers and provide accurate information. For more information, please visit the webpage of the 2021 Population Census (https://www.dsec.gov.mo/Censos2021) or call the Census Hotline at 8809 8809.
