Am I the only one who doesn't want to host during Coronavirus pandemic ???

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I am very surprised to see so many angry hosts who worry about the money more than about their health and life. Do you really want to host during a pandemic? You would risk your health for a few bucks? Are you so desperate? Money means nothing if you will die or live with damaged lungs for the rest of your life. Think about it.

I really don't want to risk mine and my daughter's life and clean after potentially sick guests. I don't want us to be infected because we touched their towels and sheets and inhaled the air in the room where infected guests spent a few days. We can't protect ourselves by wearing just a pair of rubber gloves, without even a proper mask not to mention the whole protective suit. Do you?

And, no matter how much we try, we just can't sanitise and disinfect the entire apartment from top to bottom. It is not a hospital room with just a metal bed and a metal nightstand on the vinyl floor. We have carpets, upholstered furniture, curtains,  full kitchen with cutlery and plates for 12 people.... We can't wash every single item in 70% alcohol after each guest and this virus will stay on surfaces for days .

We closed our calendar for all future bookings a few weeks ago. We offered our guests a mutual cancelation and most of them already canceled. Others contacted Airbnb and we are still waiting for their answer for days. I am happy for each cancelation and I hope the rest of my bookings will be canceled as well. Maybe we will rent long term. Maybe we will keep our property empty until everything is over. We don't know yet but we plan to survive 🙂

I am happy Airbnb allows penalty-free cancelations and my opinion is - it should be free for all bookings until September so hosts can rent their places long term if they want to until this pandemic is over.

We all need money but for us, our health is the most valuable thing we have.

Be reasonable, this is not the flu, THIS IS VERY CONTAGIOUS and it can easily kill you so take care.

[Reggie28]

All I know is that some of these hosts cannot comprehend the policy that Airbnb have regarding the covid-19. It's very self explanatory and does not need to be explained further. 

[Sandra126]

@Piotr48 , not sleeping on money at all. But I think there is no choice. I will stop paying bills if it comes to that.

[Susan17]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

"You would risk your health for a few bucks? Are you so desperate?

If all the world's doctors, nurses, support staff, paramedics, porters, janitors, admin, security staff, cleaners, secretaries, shop workers, medical centre receptionists, pharmacy workers etc etc etc had that attitude, we'd all be royally screwed, wouldn't we?

And yes, millions of people with crippling mortgages, rents and bills to pay, and young families to feed, are that desperate, that they'd risk their lives for "a few bucks", regardless of what they have to do for it. That's one of the many harsh inequalities of the world we live in. Only the fortunate few have the luxury and/or privilege of choice.

"I am happy Airbnb allows penalty-free cancelations"

Right. So as long as you're happy, and you can survive, everyone else who has been screwed over by having their calendars wiped clear and months-worth of income obliterated courtesy of Airbnb's "100% risk and responsibility for host/0% risk and responsibility for guest" policies, and who won't be able to pay their bills/keep the roof over their families' heads, should just suck it up? And that's ok with you..?? 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Susan17

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think any travel insurance offer protection against pandemic (except maybe some very expensive ones) so even if our guests purchased one it would probably be worthless now.

We are all from developed countries. None of us hosts is really poor, and I don't believe any of us here has to sell his health for food or will be hungry in a month or two. Some of us will rent long term for a few months, some will sell their properties, some will use their savings or borrow some money... now is just important to stay alive and healthy. 

Airbnb did the right thing by allowing hosts and guests to cancel penalty-free and be refunded during the pandemic. No one should be punished just because he wants to protect himself from the infection or because of travel restrictions. This is nobody's fault.

LIfe is going to change for all of us for the next few months.

And there is no way to get around this fact.

Our priorities have to change for the next few months as well, life isn't gonna be so much about making money but about taking care of and protect each other.

[J-Renato0]

@Susan17 @Branka-and-Silvia0 

I have more than one listing and I have savings, meaning, I can stop renting for a while.

I do not rent my apartments for a "few bucks" considering my local currency.  My healthy is more important than one million of dollars. It is not in question.

What is in question is that, only the hosts has to afford with the losses.

@Branka-and-Silvia0 , nobody is insane and want to host infected people, unless they run a hospital.

What hosts say is that, it is unfair that only the hosts have to have losses becouse of the epidemic.

Moreover,  Branka and Silvia, you are confusing "epidmic zones" with cities and countris that has implemented measures to prevent an epidemic.

I am with @Susan17 

It is unfair that "100% risk and responsibility for host / 0% risk and responsibility for guest policies".

[Geni4]

I thought they did too..try it ! even within their own parameters! They penalize regardless....I know! best to ask your guests to kindly cancel so you dont have to pay

[Craig-And-Patricia0]

@Susan17

No one is happy. I'm depressed and extremely anxious, not convinced the entire economy will not collapse.  That said, life isn't fair.  This isn't about "sucking it up," it is about the safety of your community.  Here in California, only necessary services and businesses (such as hospitals and pharmacies) are supposed to be operating, to lower the spread of infection.  I may not have much money left at the end of this pandemic -- and now, no job -- but I think that there is always someone else who has it worse, and we just have to do duty in this unprecedented time. It is much better to give up reservations during this time than risk infecting others or getting infected ourselves. 

[Emilia42]

For me, it is not about money and I'm not desperate and most of my guests have canceled anyway. I'm just not worried. I'm not worried about my health, at least not by this. My parents who are approaching 70 and currently on their way back on an international flight are not worried. My 72-year-old aunt in New York City is not worried. My repeat guests who are coming to visit their grandchildren for 2 weeks are not worried.  I'm just not worried. I don't have a worrying personality I suppose.

[Sandra856]

@Emilia42 I think it is because you all haven't realized what is happening. It's too surreal. It will smash the economy - world wide. And the health care system will crack for those countries who didn't act in time. 

[Emilia42]

@Sandra856 Yes, that is very true, I am worried about the economy. There is no denying that. But I am also excited to buy-in! I have never truly had health care in my life so I have learned very well how to live without it, which may be a reason as to why I feel removed from this. 

[Sandra856]

@Emilia42 I don't think I understand what you mean about the health care thing?

When I say health care I mean the hospitals not being able to take care of all the sick people. Nurses, doctors, care takers getting sick as well. 

[Emilia42]

@Sandra856In the last decade, when you were sick and suspected that you had the flu, what was your next move?

[Sandra856]

@Emilia42 stay home and go to bed waiting for it to go away. But unfortunately corona is not just a normal flu. 

[Emilia42]

Hmmm, I can guarantee you I will have that exact same approach . .  if I even have symptoms at all.

[Sandra856]

The problem is @Emilia42 there is a very, very big chance you won't have any symptoms and if you get symptoms it will be days after you started to spread it to others. That is the big problem. And that is also why countries all over Europe is now locked down.