Dutch Cooperation Made an ‘Intelligent Lockdown’ a Success

Across a small square from Amsterdam’s Mint Tower, where the Dutch Republic manufactured coins in the 17th century, begins Kalverstraat, one of the busiest shopping streets in the Netherlands. Dozens of major brands such as H&M, Nike, Swatch, and Swarovski are here. On a pre-Covid-19 Saturday, about 7,000 people an hour might pass a storefront along the pedestrian thoroughfare.

The morning of May 15, of course, is different. Almost all the stores are open, but construction workers taking advantage of the reduced traffic to make improvements practically outnumber shoppers. Among those on the street is Gerard Zandbergen, chief executive officer of Locatus, a Dutch research house that provides data on the Benelux region and major European cities to customers such as banks, retailers, and government agencies.