Ok, I have weird neighbors too. But they care more about them being bothered by noises and stuff. Besides I have a fence separating our properties. Tell your neighbor the table is infected.
And BTW that article is not scientific. Who claimed this? Where was it published? Was it reviews by peers? Among all that stupid info and rumors circulating the media I would not dare make an affirmation of it’s not backed up scientifically.
There is still not a lot we know about this disease but CDC and American Lung Association have advised that Smokers are more at risk because this virus attacks the body’s respiratory systems. Those who smoke have weakened respiratory systems. Science! Go figure.
As for the spreading, I can only conclude the some / many smokers tend to cough more which may be where the statement comes from. Not enough science there but there is some logic there.
Has anyone actually got a booking for the “COVID-19 responders”? I’m curious what additional terms or restrictions are involved and what the settings actually do. I mean if a COVID-19 responder wants to instant-book your place, they can do it and they don’t have to tell you they are a COVID-19 responder, so why have separate settings for “Allow…” and “Booking discount…” ? Honestly, I’m leery about even enabling it for full price after reading about what a cluster-f*** their Open Homes program is.
No, you are supposed to wash all surfaces with soap and water first, and then sterilize after that.
And where did you get the erroneous idea that you are safe if you only spend a brief amount of time with an infected person if you don’t touch your face? If an infected person breathes on you for a few seconds, that’s all it takes for you to catch the virus- it doesn’t take prolonged contact. That’s why it spreads so quickly. All you’d have to do is pass someone on the street who was close enough to you to transfer the infected droplets coming out in their breath.
Everything I’ve read says that simply breathing won’t transmit the virus, but coughing, sneezing, or even talking can emit the droplets that contain the virus.
Okay, then I stand corrected. I wouldn’t chance anything right now, myself. I definitely know people who tend to spit when they talk, though 
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Yes. I took the easy way. No instant book. No special settings in Airbnb. First line of my description says 4/1-5/1/20 rentals to COVID-19 healthcare and military support only.
The renter must communicate with me before rental. A little conversation helps me know if they are really Covid-19 support.
Btw my May reservations have understandably all cancelled. Two June reservations cancelled today. I’m hoping I get another Covid-19 support rental.
OK, but not through the new “COVID-19 responders” settings. Bummer, kinda wondering what’s involved or if it’s just nothing other than a guest told Airbnb they are a responder. I did find this from the guest side, but I didn’t try to go through the process.
@Brian_R170 Yeah, I would wonder that, as well. I know that when people signed up for the Open Homes program to house people displaced from hurricanes or fires, hosts were getting guests booking who had totally lied about their circumstances and just wanted a free or discounted place to stay. I would be pretty concerned about their vetting process for this, as well. Although it’s easier to verify if someone is working at a hospital or other essential job than it is to know if their house really burned down or blew away.
I just turned it on today so no inquiries yet. I also had my price artificially high to keep folks from booking. My listing does say that I will ask about the purpose. Hopefully that will help deter any scammers.
Today my last booking for end of April canceled. I thought it curious as she made it sound like it was because my listing now says essential travel only. I’m glad she canceled but I wonder if she was checking the listing daily or what.she probably found a cheaper place to stay.
Anyway I could now tale a long booking from a travel nurse. I doubt I’ll get anything with no kitchen or laundry.
What are you charging, if you don’t mind?
I just called Travel Nurse Housing, they charge a one time fee of 99$ They also offer another company “Cozy” that can help you with contracts and other stuff if needed.
If you are asking me I have my regular rate of $49 plus I’ve added a $10 cleaning fee to discourage/ get paid for a one night stay. I increased my discount for a month signficantly to 50% off and one week is 20% off. I also have 20% discount for Covid responders. Finally, I have my rule sets such that anyone reserving more than one night has to contact me even though IB is on. At least I think so. With no bookings or inquiries who knows where I show in search. According to Airbnb stats I’m still getting views though.
In the right circumstance I’d let a doc/ nurse/ tech stay for almost free but I’d have to interview them first. I don’t need the money to survive unlike others and I’m not going to profit at a medical professional’s expense.
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I’ve not opted in to Airbnb’s first responder’s initiative, however I turned off Instant Book and set myself up for long-term stays for medical workers only. I sent an email to my local hospital and they got back to me within 24 hours, saying that while traveling doctors/nurses are currently staying at hotels, the hotels may close in the near future. They are keeping me in mind for their approved list of accommodations. While I’m unfortunately not in a financial position to offer my home for free, I will definitely be working with them price-wise to negotiate something we can both afford. The email was sent March 24 and I haven’t heard back since, but I put it out there. My close friend is a nurse and she has asked about renting my home as well, as she plans to help out in our hometown’s hospital. I’m hopeful to host her of course.
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And quite rightly so. It’s just another way for Airbnb to gain positive press, with the heavy lifting all being done by the hosts. There are many ways to offer accommodation to these folks, without young master chesky basking in unearned glory.
JF
@Brian_R170 About breathing not being a source of transmission- this article just appeared today- https://www.rawstory.com/2020/04/coronavirus-may-spread-through-normal-breathing-us-scientists/
exactly my thoughts. covid or no covid, I would not allow anyone on my property unless I have a party and they are invited or if the come with a specific reason. I don’t go to their house unless I have reason…
There are reports now, though, from doctors in Italy and other places, that they have been seeing a noticeably higher death rate from COVID among non-smokers than smokers, which I know sounds totally counterintuitive. But they are doing research now to see if there is something in nicotine (or I guess it could be one of the other 130 chemicals in a cigarette) which the virus doesn’t like or which protects the patient in some way. I’ll see if I can find a link to an article.
it’s a bit of moving target without any ultimate conclusions.
I did read what you are describing, however I believe it also said that while Smokers seemingly were contracting the virus in lower percentages, once infected they were more likely to die from Covid19 than nonsmokers.
And now I read this.
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Not really. Nicotine is medicinally an anti-inflammatory agent and a neuroprotective agent. One of Covid’s main threats is the inflammation it causes, but more specifically the cytokine storms (explained most simply as an overreaction of the immune system). A lot of the younger people who die from Covid is due to these cytokine storms. And nicotine is known to inhibit the production of these cytokines. What piqued my attention to this direction was the reports of loss of smell and/or taste in patients with Covid. I’ve done extensive work with patients with Parksinson’s and nicotine is also something that proves to be therapeutic for them. There are a lot of studies as well as general observations. Whereas almost all Parkinson’s patients have anosmia, there is a lesser decline in olfactory in Parkinson’s patients who smoke. So, the loss of smell combined with the cytokine storms in Covid patients does obviously point to Covid having some sort of main involvement of the nicotinic cholinergic system. I’m sorry, it’s hard to explain so briefly, but the point isn’t that people should smoke but that there is a very good chance that nicotine might be a treatment for Covid, especially the very serious cases. At the very least, it is one hell of a trail of breadcrumbs to a treatment that we haven’t really had that until this. I try to keep up on all of the medical stuff behind Covid and this connection to smokers is a very positive thing. Smokers are bascially serving as one big experiment but, hell, they might save us all (from a respiratory disease). Oh the irony would be it’s own kind of awesome.
Of course it doesn’t mean that people should smoke to protect themselves from Covid though, lol.
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Nice explanation, thanks. You mean it’s not just a matter of the virus taking a look at one’s lungs and thinking "Ooh, gross- it’s so yucky in there, I’ll go find a nicer place to live? 
I’m already a smoker, and just assumed I’d be at high risk, so I’ve been interested in the nicotine connection. I’ve read in the past of other properties of nicotine that are positive- for instance, that it aids concentration levels. Which is why a smoker will often chain smoke when they are composing a letter, or instantly reach for a cigarette when they are trying to organize their thoughts about what they have to accomplish that day.
Of course, there’s nothing inherently bad about nicotine- if they find that nicotine aids coronavirus recovery, it doesn’t mean anyone has to take up cigarette smoking- there would be another delivery system if used medicinally.
I’m convinced it’s not the nicotine in cigarettes that leads to most smoking-related health problems, it’s the 130 added chemicals. Of course, the act of drawing smoke into your lungs doesn’t seem like a great idea, and some people might develop lung cancer simply from that, but we all have different immune systems and weak or compromised areas of our bodies. Some people can smoke for 20 years and develop lung cancer, and others can smoke all their lives and live to be over 100.