Yahoo News Hotel worker sparks debate sharing tip left by guest with Covid
A handwritten apology from a hotel guest telling staff to “be careful” because they had tested positive for Covid has sparked an ethics debate on TikTok.
It began when TikTok user Güera (@güerasworld) posted a video on 1 May showing an apology allegedly handwritten by a hotel guest.
The guest, who left a $20 (£16) tip along with a note, apologised for having Covid while staying in the room and warned staff to “be careful”. Güera also explained in the comments to the TikTok that she worked as a cleaner.
“I had Covid, so please disinfect the room as much as possible. Be careful,” the note read. “If you get sick, I am sorry, I did my best”.
Güera, who said she could have “drop[ped] the room” because of safety concerns, added in the comments to her now viral TikTok that she accepted to clean the room.
“I had the choice to drop the room but I wanted the $20,” she revealed. “I’m double vaxxed and boosted and I’ve had Covid twice so I hope that will be ok.”
She added that customers who did not disclose if they were positive for Covid earlier in the year explained why she “got it in January”.
@guerasworld Lol yikes
♬ original sound - Güera
Users debated whether or not the hotel guest was right to inform staff about the risk cleaning the room, with many saying they should have told the front desk.
“Come on guys at least they tried. You know damn well you, your friend, or family has been out in public with a cold or covid before. It’s not that serious,” argued one person.
@guerasworld Reply to @mskayleighjune
♬ original sound - Güera
Others criticised the size of the tip in the circumstances, with one person writing: “Bruh, $20 is not going to make up for loss of pay when you have to take days off to recover from Covid that you contracted from that customer”.
Güera followed-up by saying in another video that she was grateful for the tip after one person said she appeared to be critical of the $20,
“I just wonder, where did I show that I was ungrateful?… I love $20!” she said in the video.
The original clip has since been viewed more than 213,000 times, with more than 100 comments.