Airbnb has launched a new global initiative to help healthcare personnel fighting coronavirus on the frontlines to access subsidized or free accommodations provided by hosts.
Any host willing to provide healthcare professionals and first responders with accommodation should go to the Airbnb website for more details. Airbnb will not charge commissions for these stays, and hosts will have the option to provide free accommodations if they wish.
The global initiative is similar to other programs launched in Italy and France, where more than 6,000 hosts have volunteered. It is part of a global platform launched in order to help connect health personnel with safe and convenient accommodations during the pandemic while they carry out critical work.
The home-sharing platform aims to house 100,000 healthcare professionals, medical support staff and emergency personnel worldwide. To do this, Airbnb is working at a local and regional level with companies, non-profit organizations, and government and emergency management agencies that support these professionals.
Airbnb has also launched a donation tool to help secure more accommodations for health workers. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to non-profits helping with coronavirus relief efforts.