Texts, not door-knocks: Census outreach shifts amid virus

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The coronavirus has waylaid efforts to get as many people as possible to take part in the census. The outbreak and subsequent orders by states and cities to stay home and avoid other people came just as the census ramped up for most Americans two weeks ago. Nonprofits and civic organizations leading census outreach efforts are now pivoting from in-person activities to digital strategies. Texting campaigns and social media are replacing knocking on doors and rallies. The coronavirus has pushed back the deadline to wrap up the once-a-decade count, which determines how much federal money goes to communities.