Covid-19 rules in New Zealand (and other places with no local transmission)

[Henry431]

I noticed a new requirement to agree to COVID-19 safety practices. Although I appreciate the need for the rules for a large majority of the world, New Zealand has currently recorded no local transmission of COVID-19 for weeks (and outside of Auckland for around five months). We are currently at our lowest alert level, with no restrictions beyond border controls and contact-tracing. A number of other countries and sub-national entities (e.g. Taiwan, Western Australia) are in similar circumstances. It seems excessive to apply the same rules to the entire world.

The cleaning rules don't really bother me, as they're basically what I would have done anyway. Maybe they're a little bit overkill here, but nothing too onerous.

The requirement for hosts and guests to wear masks and keep 6 feet apart at all times, however, seems very disproportionate here. Personally, it wouldn't really affect me as I don't tend to interact with guests. But it would be a significant drag for the kind of host who e.g. lets a private room and interacts a lot with their guests. In New Zealand, you can hop on a crowded bus to go on a crowded tour, then off to a crowded restaurant, all surrounded by strangers, almost none of whom will be masked. But you will see the most restrictions of any kind when you interact 1-on-1 with your Airbnb host/guest. 

I suspect the most likely scenario is that guests and hosts will want to ignore the masking and distancing requirements. But given the potential punishments for not complying, I suspect some people will begrudgingly comply at the cost of a worse experience, and a few others may shift away from Airbnb altogether. Some malicious actors may see non-compliance as a way to weasel their way into a free cancellation.

Please consider altering your rules to be less one-size-fits-all.

[Abbie-and-Simon0]

I'm finding the mask and distancing rules applied as a blanket rule to be a difficult one too Henry431. Thank you for posting this. It seems disproportionate and perhaps quite off putting for guests and hosts in countries with no Covid-19 community transmission. @Airbnb have you considered this factor for other countries? I'm very happy to comply with sound reasoning which I'm struggling to see in this circumstance.

[Celia302]

@Henry431 totally agree. I have guests right now for 3 weeks and they share my lounge space with me in the evenings as we chat. It seems ridiculous to wear a mask for this but not at any other time including the supermarket, a regional flight or at my workplace.

[Helen427]

@Celia302what breed of Dog is it  in b your profile photo?

 Name & weight please!!!

Certainly looks cuddly.

[Celia302]

@Helen427 That is Mishka, our Samoyed 🙂 She certainly draws in the guests! She is 20kg.

[David-and-Gregory0]

Totally agree. This is complete overkill and nonsense for us. We will not be agreeing to it. So if they don't relax the worldwide blanket rule by the 20th then we won't be on airbnb anymore, simple as. Our place is sparkling clean but I am not signing up to follow their cleaning rules and mask requirements. Guests will see this too and will not be comfortable either. 

[Kerry358]

I agree also.  Air BnB - can we have rules for NZ please?

[Laura3135]

There is no way I will be agreeing with this also, I work at the hospital and we don’t have to wear masks at work anymore, so there is no way ill be wearing one in my own home, I would rather not host if it comes to that.

[Ria16]

Just received an email on this from Air that we need to agree by November 20th to wear masks if in any contact with guests .

We don’t have any community transmission here in Aotearoa. The only cases are are from returnees home who are already placed in quarantine.

My most recent guest actually knocked on my front door even though I had left clear check in details because she Just wanted to say hello and have a chat.  So does this make me negligent and at fault because I wasn’t wearing a face mask ?

[Helen427]

Thanks @Henry431 @Ria16 @Laura3135 @Kerry358 @David-and-Gregory0 

@Celia302 @Laura2484 and other New Zealand based ABB Hosts/ Guests

I have just noticed this on my Private Room listing to so in my wisdom have submitted "Feedback" as per the bottom of the page where it is mentioned at the Top.

Suggest that you do the same.

Perhaps also send a msg to your guests who you have had and raise it with them to also follow up on it.

You may also like to contact The New Zealand Law Society, NZ Bar Association and/ or Tiho Mijatov who are all involved one way or another with the Andrew Borrowdale Judicial Review relating to our Lockdown and ask if they would please help address this for us either as part of the JR appeal that is currently before our Courts of Law, or on a Pro Bono basis so it is clarified and quashed.

The Media may also be interested as they are understood to also use ABB IN New Zealand, and other countries.

There's no requirement whatsoever anywhere in our New Zealand Public Health Act to wear a mask/ face-covering within one's own home.

One's private Medical Matters, whatever they are, are one's Private business, nbot for public consumption and those calling the shots should not ever have crossed boundaries in the manner they are.

There's also basic Human Rights eshrined in International Law for Vulnerable Person's.

It appears on the surface that @Airbnb have once again, taken a Blanket approach because of directives somewhere along the line from a Scientists Academic report that is used by the WHO or USA without factoring into account Common Law in other countries.

@Catherine-Powellwould you please ensure this over the top requirement is addressed immediately and removed from our lisitngs.

People have to have accommodation wherever they are and commonsense plays a role here in general terms.

As @Henry431 and others have mentioned, it's disproportionate.

NZ Health Dept

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-heal...

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/...

When you do not need to wear a face covering

In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.

This includes (but is not limited to):

• children under the age of 11 (Public Health England does not recommend face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)
• people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
• where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
• if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate
• to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others ‒ including if it would negatively impact on your ability to exercise or participate in a strenuous activity
• police officers and other emergency workers, given that this may interfere with their ability to serve the public

There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering:

• if asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification
• if asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification, for assessing health recommendations (for example by a pharmacist), or for age identification purposes including when buying age restricted products such as alcohol
• if required in order to receive treatment or services, for example when getting a facial
• in order to take medication
• if you are delivering a sermon or prayer in a place or worship
• if you are the persons getting married in a relevant place
• if you are aged 11 to 18 attending a faith school and having lessons in a place of worship as part of your core curriculum
• if you are undertaking exercise or an activity and it would negatively impact your ability to do so
• if you are an elite sports person, professional dancer or referee acting in the course of your employment
• when seated to eat or drink in a hospitality premise such as a pub, bar, restaurant or cafe. You must put a face covering back on once you finish eating or drinking

The government’s guidance for keeping workers and customers safe during COVID-19 in restaurants, pubs, bars and takea... clearly advises that designated indoor seating areas for customers to eat or drink should at this time only be open for table service, where possible, alongside additional infection control measures.

@Lizzie @Quincy @Nick @Liv @Katie @Anna @Noriko @Sergi and other Admins

[Jennifer2619]

@Helen427 

@Henry431 @Ria16 @Laura3135 @Kerry358 @David-and-Gregory0 @Christina1132 @Marg11 

@Celia302 @Laura2484 @newzealand @ria16 @abbie-and-simono @rebecca373

HI. I too Have been totally frustrated over the new rule and consistently contacting AirBnB about the situation in NZ.Last night at 11.30pm I received a call from them. After reaffirming that we have no community transmission here the lady suggested I include a notification on my listing and said they would be happy with that.  I tried to explain they need to contact all hosts in NZ to explain this as there is so much frustration here over the mask wearing regulation.

I was phoned from this nr 0018442342500. I did not get her name sadly. Sounded Asian,

I have just added this

Under the current situation with COVID you can expect me to abide by the NZ Health Board's standards and recommendations when interacting with you.
While NZ does not have community transmission I will not be wearing a mask in my own home as per AIRBnB's direction. It is your choice if you prefer to do so when interacting with me.

As a host you could also ask guests to sign a waiver.. cheers, Jennifer

[Rebecca373]

Kia ora fellow NZ hosts. I am in the same boat and feel the same. My gut reaction was that my Airbnb hosting days will be over if I have to wear a mask in my own home. I am hoping some more clarification will come. Hopefully they can adapt the rules for different countries. 

[Ellika0]

The AirBnb rule should be that hosts agree to follow the rules set by health authorities in each country. In Sweden, we keep distance, but most (except health care proffessionals) do not wear masks. I will comply to rules set by our government, not airbnb.

[LaNetta0]

I don't think ABB is reading our comments in these forums. We (hosts) need to flood the "Feedback" platform with our thoughts to be heard.  We (hosts) all need to get behind this.  It doesn't matter what country you live in, we do not work for ABB - we work for ourselves; and we pay them a fee for their service.  They have no place telling us how to live or run our business.  We have governments, states, and local authorities doing this already.  They are dependent on us, if we refuse to agree to the mask & social distance rule, when we really only need to do one or the other - or not at all depending on where you live - then they won't have an income and will be forced to reconsider this action.  I, like many others, am already looking at other platforms....sadly.

[Deb3137]

I live in Queensland Australia and we have no community transmission and no requirement to wear masks. Have been very safe here in regional Queensland and still have our borders closed to most states.  Wearing masks doesn’t fit with our situation.