Abstract
One of the social groups particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic is people experiencing homelessness, as they are especially vulnerable to infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2). Still, the pandemic also drastically affected their livelihoods, as parts of municipal emergency assistance services have broken away. This article aims to highlight emergency responses of the Berlin Senate to people experiencing homelessness regarding COVID-19. The Senate is responding to the issue, among other things, by expanding and refiguring the existing contingent of shelters run by municipal emergency assistance services, preventing transmission of COVID-19 and treating those infected, and establishing mechanisms of tenant protection. The paper discusses to what extent Senate measures and interventions at the onset of the pandemic can address the emergent need for homeless assistance services in Berlin.
Highlights
The risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the course of the COVID-19 disease and prevention measures are extremely unequally stratified among socioeconomic groups (Coughlin, Sandel & Stewart, 2020; Baral et al, 2021)
Existing disparities between social groups have been further exacerbated by the pandemic or have more severe consequences, e. g., risk of infection, mortality (Coughlin et al, 2020), access to medical services (Ray, 2020, April 9), or the financial burden (Harvey, 2020, March 20)
The findings indicate that intersectionality plays a role in the strategic approach of the Senate, even if only a marginal one
Summary
The risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the course of the COVID-19 disease and prevention measures are extremely unequally stratified among socioeconomic groups (Coughlin, Sandel & Stewart, 2020; Baral et al, 2021). Precisely the most vulnerable social groups were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing disparities between social groups have been further exacerbated by the pandemic or have more severe consequences, e. The issues above are much more dramatic for people experiencing homelessness or even sleeping rough. The total number of homeless people for that year, excluding refugees recognized as homeless, was approx. Social agencies estimate the number of homeless recognized refugees at around 441,000 people. The number of people experiencing homelessness increased significantly compared to previous years (BAG W, 2019, November 11).
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