Corona Virus!!!

[Jacob432]

What are you all doing in terms of the Corona Virus??? 

I have been trying to contact the help center without success. 

When I first reached out, I got a hold of someone right away, but when I brought up the corona virus he said he would need to get a special representative and I have not heard anything back.  I tried to start another chat and no one responded at all.

I just reached out via the "I do not feel safe" option, but I have heard back from that either. 

I am wondering if other people are having issues with this also?  I am sure AirBnB is panicking about how this might effect there bottom line, but when it is an extremely dangerous situation, I thought they would be more responsive. 

[Anonymous]

@Jacob432   In what way have you been personally endangered, aside from feeling stressed?

[Lizzie]

Hello @Jacob432,

Nice to meet you. We have some information here in the Community Center, that links to a Help Center article on the CoronaVirus. If you haven't seen it already, here it is. This is also being regularly updated, based on recommendations from the World Health Organisation. 

Are you looking for help with something in particular?

[Sandra126]

@Jacob432 , I notice that your listing seems to be paused, which is possibly the best thing if you are hosting in your home and you are concerned. It is a concerning thing! As you ask what other hosts are doing, as for me, I clean with an obsession, wash my hands a lot, and don't host in my own home but in a separate building. I wait for an immunisation to be created... please let it happen soon. 

[Emilia42]

What are you all doing in terms of the Corona Virus??? 

Is there something else I should be doing other than washing my hands and avoiding close contact with people? I'm more concerned with preventing the flu (sans the flu shot) but sometimes we just can't win.

[Lisa723]

@Jacob432 @Emilia42 @Sandra126 @Lizzie @Anonymous 

I am assuming the virus will outstrip attempts to contain it and create a vaccine, and most humans are going to get it. So, I am counting my blessings that my family and I live in a developed country with a robust healthcare system, and hoping everyone I love is among the majority of patients who do not develop life-threatening complications.

[Mbaye0]

Wondering about this as well. I host extra bedroom in my house. Thinking about canceling my reservation there is now 53 cases in the US

[Sara1490]

I am a host in Brooklyn for a room in my home. We’ve had guests from Italy and Japan this week. I reached out to a friend who works in a hospital and was directed to a list (you can find it on the WHO website and the CDC. It’s a list of approved disinfectants for cleaning hard surfaces. It also explains the correct process by which to clean towels and linens. I’ve started to wear rubber gloves when cleaning their space. 

anyone else host out of their home and do their own cleaning? 

[Hope15]

Have any hosts created a message for guests before they arrive, to make sure they have not been in an infected area, or have any corona virus symptoms? I am discontinuing instant book for now. Thanks and wishing everyone well.

[Sarah977]

@Hope15  "Infected areas" are being being updated daily. There are now cases in Calif. It's pandemic and I suspect we'll see "infected areas" becoming virtually everywhere. 

Holding onto the handle of a shopping cart in your local supermarket without wiping it with a disinfectant first probably exposes you to a greater risk than accepting an Airbnb guest. But we all have our own level of comfort and shoud proceed however we feel keeps us safe.

[Jim1445]

Hopefully this is self-explanatory:

Airbnb Support
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Mar 25, 2020
Jim
6:04 PM
Serge lives in Brazil, and is very worried that he will not be able to travel safely.
Your policy does not allow us to agree a cancellation without you extracting money for nothing.
If I maintain this reservation, do you guarantee to pay me no matter what occurs? If not, please provide a solution which is fair to all of us, puts health before profits, and stops unnecessary and unhealthy worrying.
Thanks and regards,
Jim Shaw
󹀁
Thanks for your message — Airbnb Support will reply as soon as a specialist becomes available.
6:04 PM
󹀁
We're currently experiencing longer than usual wait times due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19).

You can change or cancel a reservation on your trips page or host dashboard. For more information on the coronavirus or our extenuating circumstances policy, visit airbnb.com/covid196:04 PM
󹀁
Here's a recent answer to a similar question. If you still need help, let us know and we will connect you with an expert
6:04 PM
Community Expert
6:04 PM
As a guest may cancel a stay at any time. Your refund is first determined by the host's stated cancellation policy, which you can view on your receipt or the 'print details' page of the home reservation at any time.

Details on each policy are here:

https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies

When you click to cancel your stay, Airbnb will also confirm the exact amount of refund to you before you click to confirm you wish to cancel.

In the event of extreme weather, serious illness, or other extenuating circumstances, you can next apply for a further refund after you cancel. See the procedure to make a claim and read the policy on what qualifies for a full refund here:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1339/how-do-i-file-an-extenuating-circumstances-claim

Once you have the requested documentation you can begin a claim and an agent will make the final decision for you.
Was your issue resolved by this suggestion?

No, I still need help
Jim
6:05 PM
󹀁
We're forwarding you to a team that can better assist you.
6:05 PM
Community Expert
6:05 PM
No worries, we’ll connect you with an expert right away. If you need to leave, we’ll notify you as soon as you get an answer.
󹀁
Thanks for your message — Airbnb Support will reply as soon as a specialist becomes available.
6:05 PM
Jim
6:10 PM
Similar considerations apply to the bookings from Fons, who is in the "at risk" category, Dora, whose art exhibition, and Cyrille, whose sports event, are likely to be cancelled.
Jim
7:20 PM
Off soon to eat, ping me if you are available, please
Airbnb Support
7:34 PM
Hello Jim,

My name is Rudolf from Airbnb. I hope this finds you well and safe!

For the moment, our Extenuating Circumstance policy regarding COVID-19 is applied only for the reservations between March 14th and April 14th. For all other dates, we don't have any updates yet, and the best advise will be to wait for new ones.
Jim
8:01 PM
That is the opposite of helpful in the current circumstances.
I guess helpless is the word.
Airbnb Support
8:04 PM
I really understand the situation and I can assure you that Airbnb is working to find the best solutions for every member of our community. This is why I told you that the best solution at the moment is to wait until we will have new updates regarding this situation.
Jim
8:05 PM
Unfortunately that is just blah, blah, you sound like a government official. In the absence of any positive input from AirBnB I will make my own agreement with the people concerned, and AirBnB can put up with the consequences.
Can you find Sergio a reliable flight from Brazil to match his dates?
Can you reassure Fons, as a person at high risk, that it will be safe for him to travel here?
Airbnb Support
8:10 PM
Unfortunately we don't have this option on our platform. And if all the flights will be cancelled on that period, and he will be able to send us documentation at the proper moment, the situation will fall under our typical Extenuating Circumstances Policy.
Jim
8:10 PM
Can you underwrite the risk that Dora's art exhibition will be cancelled?
Airbnb Support
8:10 PM
No Jim, unfortunately I can't do this.
What I can do, is to follow our procedures, and wait for new updates for the reservations which are for those dates.
Jim
8:11 PM
So AirBnB puts stress on us all for weeks to come, and does not care.
Helpless, careless
In these situations it is people who matter, not $$$
Please feed this back word for word to someone in charge of your so-called policy, which could be called cover your eyes and ears and wait.
Thanks to you personally for communicating it to me, and I rely on you to do something about it internally.
I take it that I may disclose and share this conversation with my would-be guests?
Airbnb Support
8:19 PM
I'm really sorry about this situation Jim. Again, I think that the best solution is to wait for new updates. I will give you a feedback link if you want, where you can document all of this situation, and I will try to share those opinions with my colleagues as well.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback
Jim
8:20 PM
OK, I will. And no, it is not the best solution because it is not proactive and fails to put people's health at the forefront.Airbnb Support