In Amsterdam the homeless people stand out in the empty streets of the red light district. A homeless man in the old quarter tells his story: ‘People are afraid. It’s like the light went out, and they are waiting for someone to turn it on.’

Maarten thinks the homeless can survive on the streets these days, because of the good weather. ‘It’s difficult, this special flu. But since the weather has been perfect, we can live with it.’

Maarten, wearing a face mask, never experienced anything like this in the infamous district of the city. But he thinks it’s for the better: ‘People are more themselves. And there’s no more stoned and drunken tourists on the streets.’

The Dutch capital holds around 6000 homeless people of all sorts. With the coronavirus pandemic causing concern of the spread of the virus amongst them, the city has set up more shelters in gyms and hotels, allowing the 1,5 meter distancing rule.