Wired calls out Airbnb for "Hygiene Theater"

Chris773
Level 7
Branson, MO

Wired calls out Airbnb for "Hygiene Theater"

https://www.wired.com/story/its-time-to-talk-about-covid-19-and-surfaces-again/


>> It was also a way to show that they were doing something, Morris adds, even if it didn't do much. In July, The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson coined the term “hygiene theater” to describe the rash of corporate disinfection. It’s still around. It’s part of the reason why New York City has committed tens of millions of dollars to cleaning each subway car each night, why Airbnb requires “enhanced” cleaning from its landlords


Airbnb should consider this as they begin to enforce their new cleaning protocols, many of which aren't actually supported by the latest science. Mask-wearing and limiting the contact between hosts and guests to the absolute minimum: excellent. Disinfecting high-touch non-porous surfaces like light switches and remotes: good, although the risk is relatively low in the real world (the point of the article). Providing a clean environment for guests: a laudable goal, but one that has little bearing on COVID transmission. Requiring hosts to do silly things like launder curtains between every guest: ridiculous overkill and absolute "hygiene theater."

16 Replies 16
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Chris773 

"Hygiene Theater"... nice, but accurate description of this nonsense

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

Yep.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

Bleach will be the death of me. My lungs can already feel it.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Thanks @Chris773 

 

We read, and shared, the Science research papers on diseases & money when we were told we couldn't use cash & notes for transactions back in March 2020 when New Zealand first went into lockdown.

 

Bus drivers & bank staff told us it was so Health Officials could do "Community Contact Tracing" by forcing people to use electronic transactions.

Some places are still out right refusing cash despite it been Legal Tender and no solid proof anyone has got Covid19/ Coronavirus from touching it. There's a greater likelihood of getting germs from flexi-Perspex that's never cleaned!!

 

 

New Zealand money is according to the Science papers online, some of the cleanest in the world as it's polymer.

Some countries have cloth, linen notes. It is also dependent on if people have washed & dried hands & what substances they have touched - including snorting drugs with notes & basic sanitation measures available.

 

No two people are the same with money and in most situations it's a minority who may have a contagious disease.

 

Money is also supposed to be sanitized,  as per Documents on our official Treasury website.

 

One thing that struck me after reading some of these research papers is the use of Imitation / Fake mucus & other substances, the fact it's undertaken in what are generally artificial lighting air conditioner laboratories.

 

The fearmongering anything we touched or the air we breathed could potentially give a Coronavirus to others or receive it wherever we went was an over-reaction by those who should know better.

 

The blanket approach of calling a State of Emergency and using such an Act remains unanswered and must be in Courts of Laws for the betterment of all.

 

As an example, The Boxing Day Tsunami where nature destroyed lives , homes & left vast numbers of dead bodies in a close proximity in the heat is vastly different to say a Fire, Epidemic, Tornado, earthquake and other emergencies in localised areas.

 

Some of those events involve differing medical expertise, rebuilding of basic core services & buildings, and not necessarily in others .

 

As many have questioned, who decides what job or enjoyment in life is "essential" over and above others?

 

Shutting down all churches and libraries and denying people the right to see each other in times of need is inhumane and disproportionate.

 

btw, Who wrote the papers for Disinfecting properties?

 

What year was it first written?

 

 There's mention of disinfecting places back in the 1800's Public Health Acts which was quite a different world.....and when people lived in tents or caves..

 

@Emilia42 @Lisa723 @Emiel1 @Chris773 

 

 

 

 

 

Marg11
Level 10
Warwick, Australia

@ et al: Funny but my post couldn't go through!

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Marg11 

Do you have problems to using a mobile device & trying to access any parts of your listing to "Edit" it to?

 

  I've raised my concerns repeatedly to Customer services, Given feedback & raised it in CC to no avail & wish @Brian would have a flea in a few TECH giant's ears as it happens every time Microsoft & Google & ABB do software changes.

 

@Fergus22are you still working at ABB in IT?

 

We need you back where ever you are!!!

 

 

@Helen427 No problems usually just that message!

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Chris773 Good to see that Airbnb are finally getting some bad publicity for their mad cleaning protocol.

@Catherine-Powell are Airbnb going to start listening?????

Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

@Chris773 - thanks for the “theatre” moment! 

 

That hospital grade disinfectant in the spray bottle, gets a bit much during the turnaround cleans. Cough, cough, cough.....

 

Don’t get me wrong, I have no issue doing a thorough clean, none whatsoever!
I’ve been doing them, every time, since I started AIrbnb in 2016. I’ve also always used the appropriate products. I just now use hospital grade rather than domestic or commercial grade.

 

I understand the need to be cautious, proactive and mitigate those risks. I am a work health safety (WHS) coordinator. But @Airbnb, please let’s also NOT be reactive 😱; can you please keep everything in perspective. My situation is not the same as someone living through a second or third  Covid19 wave.

Where I am, yes, we have our domestic borders open to travellers who have not come from, or travelled through a hot spot. Those domestic travellers who aren’t from safe Covid19 areas, undertake a mandatory 14 day government supervised quarantine, at their own expense! Our rules are strong and if you feel like telling a lie on your border documentation, you could be charged and fined just over $Australian $5000, and or jailed. 

 

Please let us as hosts, risk assess our own environment, within the region, state and country we live in. My city, within the Northern Territory - Australia, has not had a single case of Covid19 community transmission. Our “33” cases, yes, “33” cases since March, were all returning / arriving travellers from international travel. 

I know we are blessed.... I also have no intention of putting myself or family at risk, let alone a guest!  This isn’t about skiting or bragging: just a lucky fact.

 

You need to know, for Darwin NT, I can socially distance from my guests, in a separate living space, or at 1.5 metres in the open air, without wearing a mask when I talk to them.....
Without washing the curtains (I can spray them) etc etc etc..... etc etc.... if the local situation was to deteriorate, then I’m capable of reassessing and putting in a mask.


@Mike-And-Jane0 , @Helen427 , @Marg11 , @Emilia42, @Lisa723 , @Emiel1

@Chris773 @Cathie19 @Mike-And-Jane0 @Helen427 @Emilia42 Well we wondered how we would be forced to comply and now we know. Needed information regarding companions names plus bread & milk preferences from a guest arriving tomorrow. Had to agree to cleaning protocol, distancing and wearing face masks to send a message. May need to send keylock code tomorrow evening if they don't arrive before we retire.

It will be interesting to see if gloves give me dermatitis as they did 50 years ago as a student nurse. Maybe trialling a variety to see what is suitable.

Disposable gloves, masks etc will choke our landfill quarry. 

So despite all my protests of living in an area of the world with no community transmission just positive cases in quarantine due to returning Aussies, we will be wearing our polka dot masks and offering disposable masks to guests. Have already warned the guest arriving in a fortnight.  

Will be interesting to see if guests will wear masks and what we are compelled to do if they don't.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Haha @Marg11 Polka Dot masks and bikinis???

@Helen427 

What fun at least they are well made, quite comfy and washable. They were samples from a sympathetic local kitchenware supplier, gifted to us as he doesn't plan to stock them. 

In our more sensible age no bikinis but I did have a lovely pair I bought in Sydney when I was 19.

Michael-and-Shelly0
Level 6
St. Augustine, FL

LOL....hygiene theatre!!   amazingly accurate!  All self serving posturing. air bnb does not care about us at all!  I do see they put the IPO on hold probably due to the class action liability and the mounting arbitration filings. that seems to get their attention!  wear a mask! get serious.... with the mountian of published scientific literature over the last 15 years collectively showing there is no effect in preventing the spread of virus due to mask wearing.  ive read them and so should you!  I do not want mask wearing meatheads walking around my property!

@Michael-and-Shelly0 

 

You are wrong, wrong and wrong. The mask is instead useful as all the scientific literature says. Study better and stop spreading falsehoods. Please. 

 

For the rest, it seems to me that the only thing that the post describes as not adequate, launder curtains between every guest, has been eliminated. But much more is written in that policies.