Airbnb is releasing a tool that allows hosts to check guests' COVID-19 status and symptoms

• Airbnb is developing a new tool that will allow hosts to check guests' COVID-19 status.
• Hosts can request information about guests' symptoms and exposure ahead of check-in.
• The tool will be voluntary to begin with, but may evolve over time, according to Airbnb.

A new tool will help Airbnb hosts ensure that guests are healthy before checking in.

Called the "Health Safety Attestation," the tool will allow hosts to request an attestation from guests stating that they don't have COVID-19 symptoms and, to their knowledge, have not been exposed to the virus.

The attestation will be an optional tool for hosts to begin with, unless local laws require otherwise, Airbnb wrote in a statement. Down the road, the tool may incorporate components related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination as they become "more widespread and may be required by official travel protocols," the company said.

Airbnb is currently developing the tool in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. While no launch date has been announced, the US will be among the select countries and regions where the tool is first rolled out, a spokesperson for Airbnb told Insider.

The spokesperson added that the attestation will occur around the time of booking, and guests will attest that they will alert hosts if their COVID-19 status changes before their reservation.

Read more: What the COVID-19 vaccine could mean for the future of travel

This is not the first initiative that Airbnb has rolled out to keep its community safe.

In the spring, Airbnb debuted its Enhanced Clean Initiative, a program that allows hosts to commit to a five-step cleaning process and receive a highlight on their listing page to show guests they have committed to the new protocol. While the program was initially voluntary, Airbnb later required hosts to commit to Enhanced Clean before November 20 or risk having their listings removed.

Airbnb also has a policy that guests should not check into a listing if they are infected, are showing symptoms, or have been exposed to COVID-19. If a guest is sick with COVID-19 before check-in, they can cancel for a full refund.

The Health Safety Attestation will act as an additional assurance to hosts.