The new Covid-19 Mask requirement.

Renée40
Level 4
Toquerville, UT

The new Covid-19 Mask requirement.

I'm really concerned about airbnb's new demands that we wear a mask in our own homes. I can't do it, nor is it necessary here. I have a B&B, which by definition in our town means I run this business in my own home and care for my guests personally. 


I do social distance as much as the guest would like me to. I understand fear, and I respect another person's feelings in general. But this is beyond intrusive. Most businesses are not requiring masks in Southern Utah, it's just a suggestion as we are at yellow.


That's not really the point. The issue is that they are making one rule for the whole of North America without any regard to local conditions.


Yes Covid-19 cases continue to go up, but at the same time the hospitalization and death rate is going down down down. The people we know who have had the disease and recovered did so at home without a doctor's care. I'm aware this is anecdotal, but it is certainly our experience.


I'm much more afraid of overreaching mandates than I am of this disease at this point. It's obviously mutated as all viruses do and is not as virulent as it was once reported to be.

Here's a scenario for discussion; What if a host has already had it? Immunity has proven to be the norm, just as in the case  of other viruses. You can only get it once. That one study stating otherwise was proven false. So if a host has already gotten it and recovered then why would one need to wear a mask? 

Renee S Garner
96 Replies 96
Darcy72
Level 3
Hermosa, SD

@Renee40 - I share your concerns, plus a few steps further.  We run a licensed B&B in a tourist area in South Dakota, a state with no COVID mandates.  We have had a good summer, mostly because guests are fed up with their home community mandates.  They want relief from the mask mandates, so they're coming to SD.  Also because we are sparsely populated and have plenty of fresh air and outdoor recreation.  We have social distance rules at our B&B and tell our guests masks are optional.  We take personal responsibility seriously and expect others to do the same.  In our B&B, community, and state, it's everyone's choice whether to wear a mask or not.  If a local small business tells me to wear a mask I respect their wishes.

 

Airbnb, on the other hand, is overstepping their boundaries.  Hosts do not work for them nor are we employees.  Airbnb is simply a platform for guests and hosts to connect.  Beyond that, they have no say so.

@Darcy72  I guess it's not surprising that on a per-capita basis, South Dakota has the third-highest infection rate in the country, but you do you!

Wow, if South Dakota is the third highest in the country I'd say things are looking up!

@Emilia42 "Up" is all relative of course, but if by Up you mean the numbers of people getting sick and dying are going up, you are absolutely right! Things are looking up.

 

Whether that's a good or bad thing really depends on how much you like people. As a fellow American and hospitality worker, I can't honestly blame you if you have the feeling that 200,000+ fewer Americans is not an altogether bad thing, but I'm not going to sit on that bench with you because that number includes several people that were really dear to me, and frankly your callousness about it is a bit nauseating.

Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

@Anonymous,

I inferred @Emilia42's comment as being flippant, and being sarcastic that South Dakota has no COVID-19 mandates despite the high rate of infections per population.

Excellent comment thanks for sharing Darcy, I love South Dakota. I was born in Sturgis (but err not conceived! har har)

 

I wonder what kind of benefits come with being an airbnb employee now that they are forcing us on how to operate and not advise on operation! 

 

I agree with your points and also believe this is an overstep by Air BnB.  I am in a small city in Alberta, Canada.  We have no federal, provincial or city mask mandates.  Here it is up to each municipality.  I have no problem with people who want to or need to wear a mask for their personal situation.  As a host in my province, if I tell a guest they must wear a mask and they say they have a personal exemption under our Human Rights Commission, I must accept their word.  If I do not, they can file a complaint to our Provincial Human Rights commission and if I am found in violation of that person's rights, I can be fined a minimum of $5000. and up to $10,000!   We have had and continue to have very few cases of covid in our city. 

 

I agree 100%

 

Cyndi31
Level 3
Jackson, CA

Guests come to our big ranch to get away from the mask requirements in crowded cities. Guests stay at vacation homes because they are like homes -- where you don't have to wear a mask. We offer plenty of social distancing and safe interactions with >6' distance IN THE OUTDOORS -- we have a completely separate guest house which we clean and do a 24 hr air-out. We will NOT be requiring guests (nor us) to wear masks while on our large ranch. We are frequently crossing paths with our guests outdoors as they take their dogs on hikes on our trails or come to see our horses and llamas, etc.

If Airbnb believes there is a need for disclosure about masks, then can add a field where owner specifies whether masks are required vs safe social distancing. I bet they'll see a huge decrease in bookings of properties where masks are required in outdoor interaction properties like ours.

@Cyndi31 Good suggestion. 

@Cyndi31   I don't see anything about a mask requirement in outdoor areas. If you do an in-person check-in and give a tour of the guest house, it would be appropriate to wear masks during that, but nobody seems to be saying that guests have to wear masks while walking around the ranch.

@AnonymousI'm not sure what you're reading that outdoor interactions don't have masks required -- the Airbnb mask requirement makes no distinction or exceptions about WHERE interacting.

"All hosts and guests must agree to: Wear a mask or face covering when interacting in person... When you are in a common area or shared space (as a host or guest), wear a mask and maintain distance from anyone who's not part of your reservation at all times in accordance with the COVID-19 safety practices (at least 6 feet or 2 meters). "

 

Our common areas and shared space ARE OUTDOORS (we have no common indoor areas). It's even safer to wave hi and welcome guests outside from 20' away and offer essentially contactless check-in. With no distinction between indoors vs outdoors interactions, then I can't make up my own interpretation that masks don't apply to me since my interactions are outdoors. That would certainly be confusing to guests as well. I would hope that Airbnb is paying attention to issues with their one-size-fits-all requirement --  they need to modify it to specify "indoor interactions" if that is what is intended but it has yet to be changed on https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2839/what-are-the-health-and-safety-requirements-for-airbnb-stays where Airbnb links owners for info about the new mask requirement. Even strict California has been clear about indoors vs outdoors and have encouraged/required businesses to move outdoors for more safety.

@Cyndi31  Hey, I totally agree that if Airbnb is going to get heavy-handed about these restrictions, they should be a little clearer about where indoor vs outdoor distinctions apply. But when people talk about "common areas," unless they're total idiots they are referring to indoor spaces and not the vast grounds of a 500 acre ranch - nor is anyone demanding that you put a mask on your llamas. Really, on this one I seriously think you can relax.

Probably the people at Airbnb who are writing this stuff have never been on a 10 acre ranch, let alone a 500 acre one, in their lives and are under some unimaginative misconception that hosts and guests only interact inside a house or on the front porch. 

@Cindi31

I dont see much of anything in terms of mask wearing andrew.  but I did notice on the page where they begin the forced agreement stuff, the cartoon of the two men....they are outside!

when I asked earlier to air bnb they said any interaction