Au pairing and the coronavirus (COVID-19)

AuPairWorld gives basic tips, answers commonly asked questions about the au pair stay and the virus, and shares COVID-19 information resources from 21 countries.

March 13, 2020

, in Coronavirus

The worldwide situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is changing from day to day and is raising unfamiliar questions about safety and best practice for people around the world.

Basic tips

AuPairWorld is clearly not in the position to give official advice on matters of public or personal health management. However, the following four basic common-sense principles do seem important for all of us to keep in mind as we find positive ways to deal with this situation:

1. Stay informed

Having the latest up-to-date information about the COVID-19 situation from a reliable, authoritative source is the best basis for making good decisions.

We suggest consulting the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for their excellent overview of the current situation, which is updated on a daily basis. Furthermore, a comprehensive overview regarding the coronavirus disease and recent developments are provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The information services of the health authorities in your home country can also be a good resource to get the latest information for your area as the situation develops. Moreover, travel guidelines or restrictions may be issued for some countries or areas. Relevant websites providing up-to-date information for many au pairing countries can be found at the end of this article.

2. Pay extra attention to hygiene

Coughing and sneezing are typical symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. The tiny droplets produced when coughing and sneezing are also the most frequent means of disease transmission. If infectious droplets are passed onto your hands, there is a risk of infection when touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Therefore, frequent and thorough hand washing is an important preventive measure.

The following hygiene steps can help to decrease the risk of infection and prevent further spreading of the coronavirus disease (WHO):

Maintain an appropriate distance (1-2m) to anyone who is coughing or sneezing to avoid droplet infection.
Avoid busy areas and large-scale events.
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth to stop viruses from being transferred from your hands.
Practice proper coughing and sneezing etiquette by covering your nose and mouth with a tissue or your bent elbow.

3. Stay at home in case you or somebody close to you has been infected by the virus

The symptoms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) include fever, dry cough and shortness of breath and usually show after an incubation period of up to 14 days. If you experience these symptoms or have been in close contact with an infected individual, please stay at home, avoid contact with others, and seek medical advice through the local Health Department.

4. Work together

Every successful au pair stay depends on friendly cooperation between the au pair and the family.

This is equally true for a challenging situation like the one that is developing in connection with the coronavirus. With this in mind, we recommend:

Au pairs and families should openly discuss their thoughts and concerns regarding the situation.

If it seems necessary to change existing arrangements regarding an ongoing or a planned au pair stay, communicate with your family or your au pair as early as possible and develop a plan together that takes everyone's needs into account as much as possible.

If you have further questions regarding au pair arrangements in connection with the coronavirus, please feel free to contact us at support@aupairworld.com or by telephone: +49 561 310561 17

Questions in connection with the coronavirus (COVID-19)

I've planned an au pair stay and am wondering if I should go ahead with it. What do you recommend?

No one knows exactly how the virus is going to develop and the situation is changing rapidly from day to day in different ways around the world.

As you consider this information, we recommend that you consult closely with your own family and your host family about the specific situation. In the current highly dynamic stage of the pandemic, it may well be generally advisable to wait and see how things are developing before making a final decision about travel plans.

Our daughter/son is in a foreign country and we would like to help her/him to come home. What steps can we take?

We recommend getting the latest travel advisory information that is available and public health information from the WHO and from the local authorities. If travel restrictions are impeding any specific journey, it may be helpful to contact your own country's embassy to ask for assistance with repatriation.

We have purchased a Premium Membership and are having trouble finding an au pair due to the coronavirus situation. Can we postpone the membership to a later time?

We will certainly look for fair solutions with all our customers. Please get in touch with us directly through Customer Support.

We have made arrangements for an au pair to join our family in the near future and are wondering if we should still host the au pair as planned. What should we do?

No one knows exactly how the virus is going to develop and the situation is changing rapidly from day to day in different ways around the world.

Each au pair stay needs to be considered on a case by case basis. Clearly, it is important that all decisions are made with the latest information that is available. We have prepared a set of information resources for countries around the world to help our users stay informed and make the best possible decisions. With these resources, we recommend that you get the latest information about the public health situation in your own country and in the country of your au pair. Put this information together and use your judgement to choose the best way forward.

In the current highly dynamic stage of the pandemic, it may well be advisable to wait some time and see how things are developing before making final decisions.

Coronavirus Information Resources

The following links provide current travel advice and coronavirus information for different countries.

Australia
- Travel Advice
- Information about the Corona Virus