KUALA LUMPUR: Airbnb has finally expanded its global programme “Frontline Stays”, an initiative to help house 100,000 healthcare professionals, relief workers and Covid-19 first responders in Malaysia.
These include businesses and government and emergency management agencies supporting healthcare staff and first responders.
The programme, a joint effort between Airbnb and Malaysian hosts, endorsed by the Ministry of Health (MOH), is launched to assist Covid-19 frontliners by providing them with safe and convenient places to stay while they carry out their critical work.
Through this programme, frontline staff can book both free and paid stays in 160 countries and regions.
Individual responders can book directly via the Airbnb platform, allowing hosts to help even more people who are in immediate need.
Airbnb head of public policy (Southeast Asia) Mich Goh said that many Malaysian hosts and non-profit organisations had reached out to them to seek ways to support the frontliners.
“In light of the Movement Control Order (MCO), we’re glad to be able to collaborate with MOH to do what we can collectively to provide a comfortable home for these local heroes who are putting themselves at risk for us every day,” she said.
Accommodation for relief and medical workers who have higher exposure to Covid-19 requires robust preventive practices and stringent safety standards.
Airbnb takes the health and safety of its community very seriously and has worked with leading experts and officials to develop a protocol for hosts who support this collective health effort.
The protocol will be updated to incorporate new requirements from local and national authorities and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Safe hosting recommendations include listing entire homes and agreeing to a number of safety requirements including enhanced cleaning, social distancing with their guests, and allowing 72 hours between stays.
Airbnb’s partners or affiliates will ensure that stays are Covid-19 related and responders are familiar with safety protocols.
The booking platform will waive all fees for the first 100,000 stays booked through this programme. Hosts can also opt into the programme and have the option of opening their homes for free through Airbnb’s Open Homes platform, created in 2012 to meet the needs of people requiring emergency housing.
If hosts are not able to host for free, Airbnb will still waive all fees on the stay.
Airbnb hosts in Malaysia who wish to open their homes and be a part of the programme can sign up at www.airbnb.com/covid19relief.
To help power even more stays for relief workers while they do their critical work, Airbnb has also launched a donation tool, with 100 per cent proceeds going directly to non-profit organisations helping with Covid-19 relief efforts. To donate, go to www.airbnb.com/openhomes/covid19relief?donate.