Return of The Clap?

I so hope my post didn't come across as uncaring. I care deeply about all out nhs staff. Most of my family work on or bear the covid 'front line'. I just feel that at a time when the whole country is in real danger of coming close to bankruptcy, giving all public sector an additional pay rise is unaffordable.

Agree, towards the end of the last clapping session it had lost something and currently i think the NHS and other hero's would prefer us to stay at home and follow rules of greater safety instead. It now only seems to serve those who want to take part rather than those it is intended for. The NHS staff know everyday how we all are reliant on them and no matter how tired they are they, as others helping us too, they carry on regardless. they deserve way more than a clap.

I am sure it would be appreciated more by the heroes if everyone did all the things requested to try and stay well while awaiting their vaccinations. Getting chilled by going out clapping will only cause more problems.

Craftycat

Living in a very close knit community in a cul de sac I enjoyed the weekly chats after the clapping in the summer but TBH I am not keen to go out in the cold & get chilled.
I doubt it will come to much TBH.

And that's one reason why I don't think we should do it. It it a prelude to people standing around chatting afterwards. Even if we're all 6ft apart, it's still against the rules to meet up socially with more than one other person even outdoors.

EllanVannin

More to the point if someone went round collecting £1 from everyone.

Nope. Hard to put money into a box without getting closer than 2 metres.

I think some of my neighbours did go out and clap but I stayed indoors in the warm, counted myself lucky not to have to go out on a night shift in a hospital and signed the petition.

Did anyone see Starmer clapping on the news? Was it just me or did it sound very hollow?

Very quiet in my part of town last night. Too many sensible oldies staying snug and secure in front of the fire!

A friends daughter who is a nurse working on a busy Covid ward put a request on FB yesterday which said 'Please dont go outside to clap, do as you are told, stay indoors'. Stark words but we get the point I think.

No, we didn’t do it first time round either. We live in a very rural area so no one would hear anyway! I agree that a pay rise is something to be given to these hard workers. To come home from a gruelling shift to be clapped by people who are being paid to stay at home or work from home must be very difficult and embarrassing. A meal for them or a bag of shopping on the doorstep is a much better option.

Agree wholeheartedly B9exchange

We did it once or twice but it's pointless for us as we live at the end of a small hamlet with a large garden so can't be heard.

I agree with all the comments about clapping versus a pay rise!

The ‘street party’ atmosphere ( in some places ) always seemed a bit weird when 1000’s were dying.
I never did it

I didn't clap either, as other people have said, at first it seemed a touching gesture, then I began to feel it was being manipulated and used as a distraction technique.
The only way to support the heroes is to not spread the disease.

I don’t support it either. To show respect, people should be wearing a mask, keeping their distance, only going out for exercise or when it’s essential and supporting pay rises and maybe a covid bonus for carers and NHS staff. Carers in particular are paid disgracefully low wages. This clapping just distracts from the real issue.

Signed. Thank you. There was also another link within that to contact local MPs to ask them to raise the subject with Matt Hancock.

Now that’s something that would be more worthwhile doing than a weekly doorstep futile clapping session. Especially if we email them every week and ask what action they’ve taken.

Petition here to sign to promote a pay rise for NHS staff, if anyone’s interested is signing / sharing
platform.organise.org.uk/campaigns/nhs-staff-bonus?utm_campaign=speakout_campaign_791&utm_medium=email&utm_source=thank_you

One of my young neighbours is a nurse on a maternity ward and she told me this afternoon that she's been working a 70 hour week for the past 9 weeks. This is because a) many other nurses on her department have been moved to COVID wards b) several of her colleagues are either ill with COVID themselves or are having to isolate because they've come into contact with COVID c) the maternity departments at 2 other hospitals have closed, due to COVID, and so are being redirected to her hospital. She said that on any given shift, they're at least 40% down on staff numbers.
I asked her if she was pleased that clapping was starting again tonight. She just gave me a withering look and said "NO! Just stay indoors, wear a mask, wash your hands and don't get pregnant!" chance would be a fine thing

I am going totally out on a limb now to say I wouldn’t be clapping anyway, but ,and it is a big but, I give hearty thanks to the ones in the NHS who are giving their all at this time to the job, whether that is on COVID wards or covering in general wards for those who are.
What about the others, present in any profession, walk of life and every other job who still don’t give of their best.
Who are rude to patients and family, who ignore patients needs and generally are not suited to the job.
Whether we like to admit it or not we have all met them, staff on wards can enhance a stay or totally ruin it for patients and family alike.
How can we reward the ones who truly deserve a big pay rise without rewarding the ones who can make life very difficult.
I have a close friend in hospital presently whose family are despairing at the attitude of some staff when they are phoning for information.
Yes, the staff are overworked, could not a ward clerk give out information to desperate relatives.
My friends Daughter, worrying herself sick was told as her mother was not eating or talking there was really nothing to say.
She has been proactive in insisting on tests being carried out and speaking to Drs.
The news today is more reassuring but everyone will not persist as she has.
Let us not call them all heroes and angels.
Some of them are not.
My opinion now has been expressed, I will now carry on with my book in my bed.

No one here thankfully. We weren’t going to anyway, felt ridiculous enough first time round and yes this time actually felt patronising.

It's a daft idea that helps nobody. I'm usually at work, on a supermarket till, when they announce on the tannoy that we're all about to clap. It's actually quite insulting. Pay frontline staff properly (yes, including supermarket workers) and protect them properly. No amount of clapping will do either, moral support doesn't pay the bills, doesn't save lives, and certainly doesn't protect the NHS. The vast majority of supermarket customers could try protecting the NHS by shopping far less frequently, and shopping alone, remembering their masks and social distancing, and not picking things up for close examination - and breathing all over them - before putting them back on the shelves. Someone the other day was taking tops off the shower gels to sniff them... it beggars belief.

jocork

First time around we needed to feel that sense of solidarity, and having a chat with our neighbours on a sunny evening was really good for morale. On a cold January in the darkness it would seem really pointless. If we want to do something positive let's 'STAY HOME, PROTECT THE NHS, SAVE LIVES!'

??
I completely agree.

My NHS family have said please don’t it’s an insult
Not one person out here thankfully
A big zero

Nope. Nothing here. Thank goodness.

No clapping around here