Guest gets full refund with Covid EC even though they had already cancelled the trip

[Tony40]

So my guests have cancelled their booking a week before their arrival due to travel issues (as confirmed by them in messages).  Then 2 days after the cancellation they send Airbnb some positive Covid tests done after the cancellation and then Airbnb overides the previous cancellation under strict rule (50/50) for a full refund under EC. I am left with nothing as a host. This is being done by airbnb in complete breach of their EC Covid rules posted on their website.  It states clearly that EC only applies for non cancelled trip.  People I am dealing with have no argument to defend their position and still would not do anything about it.  Shocking!!  I am progressively delisting from Airbnb to other platforms as a result. Can’t take this dishonesty and incompetence! 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tony40 A logical explanation albeit somewhat twisted would be that had they not cancelled then they would have had a free cancellation for covid so they get it anyway. The really positive spin is that by cancelling earlier you got a couple of extra days to market the place for replacement guests.

Who knows if this is Airbnb's logics but I wouldn't be surprised if it is.