Greek Hosts Help Provide Housing to COVID-19 Responders
- Local initiative provides free or subsidized housing for healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders, typically closer to where they are working
- Airbnb Hosts can opt in to provide homes that follow new cleanliness protocols based on recommendations from medical experts
- Airbnb is partnering with the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) to help support their relief workers on the front lines
Airbnb’s global initiative to help connect those responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with safe and convenient places to stay has now over 500 places to stay available in Greece. Aiming to help house healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders around the world, Airbnb—which will waive all fees for stays arranged through this initiative—is also now partnering with the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY).
“Medical workers and first responders are providing lifesaving support during the coronavirus outbreak and we want to help,” says Valentina Reino, Head of Public Policy & Campaign, Airbnb Italy and Southeast Europe. “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, and we are glad that the program has been strengthened also in Greece.”
This initiative initially built on two pilot programs in Italy and France where Airbnb announced that doctors, nurses, caregivers and other medical support staff who are responding to the outbreak can access free accommodation through Airbnb. The Airbnb community has already responded to the call: over 100,000 hosts across the world have already offered their homes. Over 500 places to stay have already been offered by hosts in Greece.
To enable healthcare providers and other COVID-19 responders to find housing, Airbnb is working with businesses, nonprofits and government and emergency management agencies supporting these responders. Hosts can opt into the program 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.
Through the Greek initiative, Airbnb will be working with the Hellenic National Public Health OrganizationInternational Federation (EODY), to reach out to all those Greek first responders (doctors, nurses etc.) who are already responding to the outbreak.
“In order to accomplish our goal, which is the protection of public health, the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) strives to create the proper conditions and ensure every possible facilitation for doctors, nurses and health professionals who fight COVID-19 tirelessly and ceaselessly”, says Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, President of the Board of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization(EODY). “We embrace the Airbnb initiative and we integrate it into our common effort as a society, to unite our forces and support all those who work heroically and with self-denial at the forefront, in order to fight the pandemic in our country.”
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 such as EODY.
Examples of 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. To learn more and to open their homes, hosts can go to airbnb.gr/iatrikoprosopiko.