Update to our approach for guests sick with COVID-19

[Airbnb]

Now that COVID-19 is a known part of our world, many countries have moved to a new stage in their response. In consultation with medical advisers, we’ve updated our approach as well. 

For bookings made on or after May 31, 2022, COVID-19 is no longer covered under Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances policy, except for domestic reservations in South Korea and mainland China. This means that if a guest gets sick with COVID before their stay and wants to cancel, the Host’s cancellation policy will apply. As a Host, if you’d like to offer a refund or otherwise work with guests on a flexible solution, you’re welcome to do so.

For more details on what this change means, read the answers to frequently asked Host questions in the Resource Center.

We’d love to get your thoughts, feedback, or questions below.

[Debra300]

@Louise0,

I believe that Airbnb will continue to train CS reps to put pressure on hosts to provided unwarranted refunds.  Even in the FAQ there is a passive suggestion that hosts are being "helpful" by providing guests refunds that are beyond the guidelines of the chosen cancellation policy.  One thing that I want to point out is that they don't mention is that the host fee isn't reimubursed for refunds processed through the Resolution Center.  

[Wendy-And-Lisa0]

doubtful. but they absolutely DO understand when a host says "no, I stick with the policies i've established, you are welcome to refund them but not from my account". after that, they usually say they recognize we are not obligated to refund and it is entirely up to us to basically bend the rules.

We let airbnb know that we set cancel policies for a multitude of reasons. We let them know that if we are always bending established policies, there is no point in setting them to begin with! and that bending rules for some and not for others on a case by case basis makes hosting near impossible for hosts with full lives. It is our effort, our home we've purchased and our income.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Cool... just, till the end of May the whole summer will be already booked. And when Summer will be over we will have a new Covid wave ...

[Debra300]

@Branka-and-Silvia0,

The extended implementation of the COVID cancellation exception was the primary reason why I had the booking windows set to 90 days on Airbnb.  As a result, last year 90% of the nights booked online for my guesthouse came from Booking.  In pre-pandemic years, Airbnb and Booking represented an equal share of our online reservations.  

[Anonymous]

I'm still not quite clear on what happens to the listing, if it's reported that a guest tested positive for Covid during the stay. Will the subsequent bookings still be cancelled, and the listing suspended? Or is this directive also being phased out?

[Stephanie]

Great question, @Anonymous , will come back ASAP!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Anonymous  I hope not because there is no need for it. Covid mutated to sort of a mild and short flue even for non vaxed people so airing the space and usual cleaning procedure is enough.

[Stephanie]

Hi @Anonymous ,

Thanks for your patience, I have some answers that I hope clear things up. Moving forward, if it's reported that a guest tested positive for COVID-19 during the stay, then in most cases the Host can just properly clean and ventilate the listing (following Airbnb's 5-step cleaning process as a guide) and the subsequent bookings don't have to be cancelled.

However,  if the listing is a shared space and there was sustained in-person contact between the sick guest and the shared space Host or another guest who will remain at the listing, then we'd temporarily suspend the listing so the exposed individuals don't infect the next guest in the short term.

Thanks,

Stephanie

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

[Debra300]

@Stephanie,

Thanks for sharing.  IMO, the policy to temporarily close a shared listing is contrary to current industry and public health standards.  Many countries have done away with public masking requirements.  In the US, Dr. Fauci, the chief infection disease expert, has officially proclaimed the country is out of the pandemic phase, and the European Commission has said that the EU has moved away from the emergency phase of the pandemic.

Businesses such as hotels, restaurants and cruises, are no longer shutting down or restricting operations due to customers/guests/staff getting the virus.  A guest or host who goes outside and performs normal errands and activities has comparable opportunity to catch and spread the virus as they would inside of the home share. 

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that Airbnb has a policy of closing a rental if a guest reports that they have another respiratory illnesses, like the flu or pneumonia. Those conditions are considered medically manageable, and now in many parts of the world, so is COVID.

[Amy907]

With respect, that is not really true. Although I do agree that airing out the space is enough!

[Debra300]

@Amy907,

I think you are responding to my post.  Be sure to tag a person's profile ID (type @and then select or type the rest of the ID) to ensure that the person is aware of a comment directed towards them.

All hosts who actively accept reservations on Airbnb are required to adhere to the five step enhanced cleaning protocol.  So, a thorough cleaning is required between each stay regardless of the guest's declared health status.

[Amy907]

@Debra300  I wasn't, but thanks for the tip. I was replying to @Branka-and-Silvia0 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Amy907  what isn't true? Covid today lasts approximately 6 days of which just 3 days with temperature, while the ordinary flue lasts 14 days with high temperature. Talking about non vaxed people in both cases.

[Amy907]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  People are still being hospitalized and dying every day from it (at least here in the States) not to mention long Covid about which we know very little. It has not yet turned into a common flu, although that is the expectation.

But I shouldn't have turned this into a forum about Covid. I'm sorry. You are right that airing out a place is sufficient.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Amy907  old people and those with other illnesses are hospitalized and dying from flue as well but the flue was never considered extenuating circumstances.

Neither do I want to turn this into a Covid discussion and the most important is that we all agree about airing being enough and Covid shouldn't be an extenuating circumstance  🙂