Super-Rich Turn to Bunkers to Self-Quarantine During Coronavirus Outbreak

The super-rich are preparing to self-quarantine in places that are far off the grid, whether they be on private islands or inside disaster bunkers.

This ultra wealthy group of people plan on taking their personal doctors or nurses on their privately chartered flights with them in the event they become infected and to reduce the risk of becoming infected by being exposed to the virus in a commercial airport or on a commercial flight, the Guardian reported.

“Over the past few weeks, there’s undoubtedly been a rise in demand for short notice on-demand charter relating to the coronavirus Covid-19,” said Adam Twidell, the chief executive of the private jet booking service PrivateFly. “We’ve had a very significant number of inquiries for group evacuations and from corporates and individuals.”

Once they are off the grid, they enter specially-prepared disaster bunkers — some as far off as New Zealand, which many Silicon Valley leaders have seemed to embrace as a safe haven over the past few months.

Robert Vicino, founder and chief executive of Vivos Group, said his bunker construction firm had seen a bump in consultations and sales since the coronavirus crisis began.

Vivos converted a Cold War bunker out in Indiana into space for 80 people and is offering space for people to huddle inside 575 concrete bunkers out in South Dakota.

The super-wealthy are also demanding that their doctors provide them with private coronavirus tests. To avoid overwhelming limited testing facilities, both medical facilities in the U.S. and the U.K. have said they would only test people who have a high likelihood of getting the illness.