Our lives have changed a lot over the past two weeks.

We’ve written about the changes on our news, sports and opinion pages, and we and our readers have felt those effects in our daily lives.

We’ve seen record traffic on our website of readers who are working from home, schooling their children who are at home instead of at school, or who are following the government’s request to stay at home unless there is an urgent or essential need to get out of the house.

Amidst the changes, it is easy to forget about the things that were important before COVID-19 hit the United States and, ultimately, Mississippi. There is one important matter, however, that we need to be sure not to forget: the 2020 Census.

You might recall an article published in the Tuesday, Jan. 6 edition of The Post detailing the city of Vicksburg’s committee who was appointed to manage any potential changes driven by the census. The article detailed why an accurate count of Vicksburg’s population was important, specifically because it can affect redistricting in the North and South Wards, as well as the number of precincts.

It also affects the city’s ability to meet the federal threshold for grants. If our 2020 census shows we have more than 25,000 people — there were just less than 24,000 in the 2010 census — Vicksburg will become eligible for more infrastructure and transportation grants. Population totals also affect federal Title I funds for school systems.

That is why it is so important that all residents complete the census and ensure they are counted.

Completing the census takes 10 minutes or less, and the survey consists of 10 simple questions about your household. If you have not yet completed the census, you can do so by calling 844-330-2020 or visiting 2020census.gov.

Set aside 10 minutes this week to do your part and participate in the 2020 census. It’s an investment in our community we don’t need to miss.