Airbnb has arranged a way for their hosts to provide free or subsidized housing to healthcare workers currently working on the front lines to prevent or treat COVID-19, the disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. "The company's goal is to help house 100,000 healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders around the world," said Airbnb on their website. "Airbnb will waive all fees for stays arranged through this initiative." The popular online lodging marketplace is requiring strict cleaning protocols in between guest stays based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Medical workers and first responders are providing lifesaving support during the coronavirus outbreak and we want to help," said Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia in a statement. "We've heard from countless hosts around the world who want to provide a comforting home to heroic first responders. We are connecting our nonprofit partners, government agencies and others with our incredible host community to work together in these extraordinary times."
Some of the organizations Airbnb is partnering with include the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Rescue Committee, and the International Medical Corps.
Airbnb has been actively consulting with leading health experts to ensure the best possible approach during this unprecedented time. One of these experts is Dr. Larry Brilliant, an epidemiologist who contributed to the World Health Organization's (WHO) eradication of smallpox in the 1970s.
"While science is still developing around COVID-19, and there is a lot we do not know, we have provided guidance to support the Airbnb community participating in immediate efforts with governments and institutions," said Brilliant. "As medical and relief workers require accommodation for response and preparedness, the Airbnb community is in a unique position to help. I applaud Airbnb for working under conditions of such uncertainty to provide housing for first responders and medical staff working in this pandemic. We are working to provide clear communication and resources, based on rapidly evolving knowledge about this novel virus and best practices on sanitation, in order to help keep communities as safe as possible."
Current requirements for hosts to follow include maintaining the usual social distancing guidelines between hosts and guests, renting an entire home instead of single rooms, and allowing three days in between guest stays to allow enough time for the premises to be cleaned thoroughly.