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Since reopening in late 2021, I have made a rule requirement to get vaccine info from all guests. They send me their CDC ards (if American), and various proofs if not.
The few who resisted were cancelled by airbnb on my behalf (when a guest tells you in advance that they will be breaking a house rule air cancels without penalty to us) and of course became nasty, with some spewing political epithets about “'murica” and “patriotism” which of course referenced to their MAGA feelings, so I was glad that the CDC request made them reveal themselves.
OTOH, it is annoying to both me and some guests apparently, since despite telling them that it is a condition of guesting to do it as soon as the booking goes thru, they take a day or so to do it.
Is it time to stop asking for this proof? Is there any advantage to keeping this request active? I would like the acceptance / booking process to be seamless as it was before Covid, but am wondering if I am putting health at risk abandoning this policy?Your thoughts?
I ask about vaccine status but take the guest regardless of whether they are vaccinated. Those unvaccinated receive their light breakfast in their room and do not have access to the rest of our home. I believe that the vaccine proof cards are so flimsy that it is easy to produce fakes. My husband and I recently had COVID which we are 99% certain we got at his class reunion along with many other attendees despite 4 vaccine shots each. The newest variant doesn’t seem to pay much attention to vaccine status although it does seem to deliver a lighter case to those who are vaccinated.
As I had closed my homeshare to bookings for over 2 years due to Covid, I never got around to adding vax requirements to my listing. When I got my first request since blocking (a “surprise” due to my neglect in keeping ahead in my date blocking), I explained the situation to the guest and asked if she was vaxed. She replied right away, saying yes, fully vaxed and boosted, and even sent a copy of her vax card, unbidden. (She turned out to be a fantastic guest).
Am visiting family in Canada now, but when open to bookings again in Oct., I will definitely require guests to be vaxed. Not only is Covid not “over”, there are possibly more contagious and serious variants afoot. At the age of 72, I am not risking my health for Airbnb bookings, nor am keen on sharing my home with Covid denier mentality folks.
It’s hard for me to say because my guests are not sharing space with me or with each other. But I think you have to consider that any guests that have already booked may have booked based on you saying that you check for proof of vaccine. They may be counting on being in a fully vaxxed environment.
That’s very real to consider. Perhaps instead of asking them to send it to me just require it. It would be in the house rules of course. Maybe “ up-to-date vaccinations are required upon booking, and proof will be shared upon request?”
I guess. I really don’t know. I’m not to the point where I would stay in a shared space right now but if I were going to I’d want it to be vax required place. I’m not sure if I’d notice that change in your rules or not, but it is different. Those folks who refused to send proof in the past would certainly slip through. I’m likely more worried about it than most though and am probably not a good example.
I suppose you could require proof for stays through a certain date. A date that is after anyone who is currently booked. Or reach out to your booked guests. Probably too complicated though. Sorry, I don’t have a better idea.
I do plan to let guests know my own vax status, as that is only fair. I consider vax status of hosts and guests to now be part of the “good fit” criteria that homeshare situations have always had.
If I shared no space with guests, I wouldn’t ask if they were vaxed. It’s a health consideration for me, not a moral judgement, at least as far as the host role.
I don’t remember where you’re located, but the CDC just announced that they’re dropping vaccine mandates, saying that people who are unvaccinated should be treated like those vaccinated. They also admitted that the vaxx testing was rushed and results unreliable. So there’s that. BTW, I’m vaccinated, but not boosted and don’t plan on getting boosters.
The world is at endemic status and natural immunities are now being touted.
But if you don’t want to accept non-vaxxed guests, then that’s great. But the vaccine isn’t stopping transmission and even unvaccinated people are getting light cases - more like summer colds.
I’m a home share host and stopped asking for vaccine status in 2021. But that’s me.
I AM vaccinated but do NOT plan on getting boosters upon my doctor’s advice.
My cat would be upset. My daughter, son-in-law and grandson would be bummed but they’d inherit a nice beach house.
As for the emotion you’re planning on stirring up with this - my guests and I discuss vaccinations in messenger. So far everyone is comfortable with their decisions.
Don’t shame me on my choices. Even Fauci is back-tracking on vaccine mandates.
