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Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Consumer Price Index data for August 2021 Note: Table 1 has been updated to correct values for August 2021 on telephone and online collection for the commodities and services survey.
 This page provides further information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for the August 2021 Consumer Price Index news release. Collection mode Data collection for August 2021 involved no personal visits, so all data were collected either online or through telephone interviews. An example of this is full-service restaurants; even if a restaurant was open for dine-in service, as well as open for take-out or delivery, the data collector attempted to obtain the price from the restaurant’s website or by telephone call with the respondent, rather than a personal visit. Table 1. Collection modes for the commodities and services price survey, percent
Month
2019
2020
2021Personal visit
Telephone
Online
Personal visit
Telephone
Online
Personal visit
Telephone
OnlineJanuary
73
10
17
72
9
19
0
16
84February
72
11
17
72
10
18
0
16
84March
74
10
16
44
14
42
0
16
84April
74
10
16
0
18
82
0
16
84May
74
10
16
0
17
83
0
15
85June
73
10
17
0
17
83
0
15
85July
74
10
16
0
17
83
0
15
85August
73
10
17
0
17
83
0
15
85September
73
10
17
0
17
83October
73
10
17
0
16
84November
73
9
18
0
16
84December
72
10
18
0
16
84Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020
73
10
17 Table 2. Collection modes for the housing survey, percent
Month
2019
2020
2021Personal visit
Telephone
Personal visit
Telephone
Personal visit
TelephoneJanuary
35
65
39
61
0
100February
36
64
40
60
0
100March
36
64
30
70
0
100April
38
62
0
100
0
100May
39
61
0
100
0
100June
38
62
0
100
0
100July
37
63
0
100
0
100August
37
63
0
100
0
100September
38
62
0
100October
39
61
0
100November
38
62
0
100December
39
61
0
100Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020
38
62 Response rates For some CPI market basket categories, the percentage of the sample collected in August 2021 was notably lower than the average before the pandemic. These included leased cars and trucks, new vehicles, food from vending machines and mobile vendors, and services by other medical professionals. There was a lower percentage of collected rents in August 2021 compared with August 2020. Table 3. Response rates for the commodities and services price survey, percent
Month
2019
2020
2021Collected prices
Uncollected prices
Collected prices
Uncollected prices
Collected prices
Uncollected pricesJanuary
85
15
86
14
77
23February
85
15
87
13
79
21March
87
13
76
25
78
22April
86
14
65
35
78
22May
87
13
68
32
78
22June
86
14
70
30
78
22July
86
14
70
30
78
22August
86
14
72
28
79
21September
86
14
73
27October
86
14
74
26November
87
13
75
25December
86
14
77
23Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020
86
14 Table 4. Response rates for the housing survey, percent
Month
2019
2020
2021Collected rents
Vacant units
Uncollected rents
Collected rents
Vacant units
Uncollected rents
Collected rents
Vacant units
Uncollected rentsJanuary
68
6
26
70
5
25
58
4
38February
67
5
28
69
6
25
61
4
35March
67
6
27
63
5
32
62
4
34April
68
6
26
61
4
35
62
3
35May
69
6
25
61
4
35
63
3
34June
68
6
26
62
4
34
62
4
34July
69
6
25
60
4
36
55
3
42August
67
6
27
62
4
34
58
3
39September
65
6
29
60
4
36October
69
5
26
59
4
37November
69
6
25
60
4
36December
67
6
27
62
4
34Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020
68
6
26 Imputation In August 2021, the CPI continued to impute the majority of uncollected prices from collected prices within the same item and geographic area (home cell). There were no instances where the data from the previous month were imputed to the current month (carry forward). Table 5. Imputation source for the commodities and services price survey, percent
Month
2019
2020
2021Home cell
Different cell
Carry forward
Home cell
Different cell
Carry forward
Home cell
Different cell
Carry forwardJanuary
93
7
0
92
8
0
89
11
0February
91
9
0
93
7
0
88
12
0March
94
6
0
90
10
0
88
12
0April
92
8
0
84
16
0
88
12
0May
92
8
0
85
15
0
87
13
0June
92
8
0
86
14
0
87
13
0July
92
8
0
86
14
0
87
13
0August
91
9
0
86
14
0
88
12
0September
93
7
0
87
13
0October
91
9
0
88
12
0November
93
7
0
89
11
0December
92
8
0
88
12
0 Nonvacant units with respondents previously reporting, but not currently reporting, receive noninterview imputation for use in the CPI. Vacant units that were previously occupied by renters are also imputed for use in estimation by separate methods. Table 6 below shows a reduction in vacancy imputation performed in the current month relative to the same time in 2019. Table 6. Imputation source for the housing survey, percent
Month
2019
2020
2021Noninterview
Vacancy
Noninterview
Vacancy
Noninterview
VacancyJanuary
81
19
82
18
91
9February
84
16
81
19
89
11March
82
18
87
13
89
11April
82
18
90
10
92
8May
82
18
91
9
91
9June
81
19
89
11
90
10July
81
19
89
11
93
7August
83
17
91
9
93
7September
83
17
90
10October
83
17
90
10November
82
18
90
10December
82
18
90
10 Cell, series, index, or observation suppression Table 7 lists the data series that were both inadequate for publication in August 2021 because of insufficient sample and that were adequate over the year before March 2020. Table 7. List of data inadequate for publication for August 2021
LABSTAT ID
Item
AreaCPI-U SeriesCUUR0000SETA03
Leased cars and trucks
U.S. city averageCUURS23BSATCLTB
Transportation commodities less motor fuel
Detroit, MICUURS23BSETA
New and used motor vehicles
Detroit, MICUURS23BSETA01
New vehicles
Detroit, MICUURS35CSETA01
New vehicles
Atlanta, GACUURS48ASATCLTB
Transportation commodities less motor fuel
Phoenix, AZCUURS48ASETA
New and used motor vehicles
Phoenix, AZCUURS48ASETA01
New vehicles
Phoenix, AZCUURS49DSAG
Other goods and services
Seattle, WACUURS49DSAGS
Other personal services
Seattle, WACUURS49GSAM
Medical care
Anchorage, AKCPI-W SeriesCWUR0000SETA03
Leased cars and trucks
U.S. city averageCWURS23BSAGC
Other goods
Detroit, MICWURS23BSETA
New and used motor vehicles
Detroit, MICWURS23BSETA01
New vehicles
Detroit, MICWURS35CSETA01
New vehicles
Atlanta, GACWURS35ESAGC
Other goods
Baltimore, MDCWURS48ASETA01
New vehicles
Phoenix, AZCWURS49DSAG
Other goods and services
Seattle, WACWURS49DSAGS
Other personal services
Seattle, WACWURS49GSAM
Medical care
Anchorage, AKC-CPI-U SeriesNo series were inadequate for publication.AP SeriesAPU0000706311
Turkey, frozen, whole, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000711311
Oranges, Navel, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000711411
Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000711412
Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000712211
Lettuce, iceberg, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000712406
Peppers, sweet, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000712412
Broccoli, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0000FL2101
Lettuce, romaine, per lb. (453.6 gm)
U.S. city averageAPU0100711211
Bananas, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Northeast urbanAPU0100711311
Oranges, Navel, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Northeast urbanAPU0100711411
Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Northeast urbanAPU0100711412
Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Northeast urbanAPU0100711415
Strawberries, dry pint, per 12 oz. (340.2 gm)
Northeast urbanAPU0200702212
Bread, whole wheat, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Midwest urbanAPU0200709112
Milk, fresh, whole, fortified, per gal. (3.8 lit)
Midwest urbanAPU0200710411
Ice cream, prepackaged, bulk, regular, per 1/2 gal. (1.9 lit)
Midwest urbanAPU0200711411
Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Midwest urbanAPU0200711412
Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm)
Midwest urbanAPU0300702212
Bread, whole wheat, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300702421
Cookies, chocolate chip, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300705121
Bologna, all beef or mixed, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300711311
Oranges, Navel, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300711411
Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300711412
Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300711417
Grapes, Thompson Seedless, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300712211
Lettuce, iceberg, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300716116
Margarine, soft, tubs, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0300FL2101
Lettuce, romaine, per lb. (453.6 gm)
South urbanAPU0400702212
Bread, whole wheat, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urbanAPU0400705111
Frankfurters, all meat or all beef, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urbanAPU0400711311
Oranges, Navel, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urbanAPU0400711411
Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urbanAPU0400711412
Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urbanAPU0400711415
Strawberries, dry pint, per 12 oz. (340.2 gm)
West urbanAPU0400714233
Beans, dried, any type, all sizes, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urbanAPU0400FL2101
Lettuce, romaine, per lb. (453.6 gm)
West urban Measures of error The standard error of the CPI’s change can be used to construct confidence intervals to determine whether the change for a particular CPI series is significantly different from zero. Table 8 shows the 1- and 12-month standard error for selected indexes at the U.S. level. Table 8. Impact on standard errors of one- and twelve-month percent changes
Item
One month
Twelve monthAug 2019
Aug 2020
Aug 2021
Aug 2019
Aug 2020
Aug 2021All items
0.03
0.03
0.04
0.08
0.09
0.08Food and beverages
0.08
0.09
0.07
0.15
0.15
0.18Food
0.07
0.10
0.08
0.15
0.17
0.18Housing
0.05
0.05
0.07
0.15
0.14
0.13Apparel
0.38
0.30
0.36
0.89
0.75
0.82Transportation
0.06
0.13
0.07
0.17
0.18
0.28Medical care
0.13
0.09
0.10
0.49
0.47
0.31Recreation
0.11
0.18
0.21
0.40
0.41
0.38Education and communication
0.07
0.15
0.10
0.22
0.26
0.24Other goods and services
0.15
0.16
0.17
0.28
0.28
0.31Energy
0.08
0.12
0.09
0.20
0.23
0.34All items less food and energy
0.04
0.03
0.04
0.09
0.11
0.09 **Last Modified Date**: November 22, 2021
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