By Siobhan A
Rewind to the start of 2020, the world had become aware of a disease in China that was spreading and had hit Italy. I had been following the story on Sky News and watched the footage in disbelief.
Italian healthcare staff in what looked like hazmat suits I'd only ever seen in Hollywood movies. Ventilator shortages, overcrowded hospitals, patients struggling to breathe, death. Watching Italy gave me a terrible sense of foreboding. If this virus had reached Italy, I believed it was coming to the UK. It was a matter of when, not if. One news bulletin in particular stood out. I’d seen the people of Italy out on their balconies clapping, singing, and coming together in support of their healthcare workers. In that moment, I identified with those people. Recalling that scene still makes me emotional today. The best of humanity often shines through in a crisis.
Annemarie Plas
It wasn’t long before the UK was in the thick of the first wave of the Pandemic. A woman called Annemarie Plas had clearly connected the same way I had to the unity shown in Italy. Annemarie, a Dutch woman living in London started the clap for carers. Every week on Thursdays, the people of the UK went outside at 8 o’clock and clapped. As a nurse, I wasn't yet working with Covid patients but my family and I went out every week and clapped. Why? Because I wanted to show support for all my colleagues, particularly my best friend who was an ICU nurse in England at the time. It felt like it was my way of saying to my colleagues ‘you are amazing’. The first week I don't remember anyone else being outside. Week two someone else appeared at their door, not a neighbour I knew, but I was so grateful to see them. My kids beeped on my car horn and I made extra noise to let people know ours was a street taking part. Over the next couple of weeks, more doors opened and until the day the clap finished the same 6 or 7 households came and stood. Sometimes I was just arriving home from work so I was still in uniform and at the end of our 2 minutes I would shout over thank you, see you next week. I felt a tremendous sense of community to see those same doors open every week.
Heated discussion
The clap for carers generated heated discussion. Some felt it was a cynical PR exercise, an excuse for the government to deny healthcare workers wage rises. But for me it was never about our government, it was about us as a people. We often look up to generations that came before us and the great sacrifice of our servicemen and women. I'm not the type who is cut out to be a soldier, but during the course of the Pandemic I felt like as a nurse my country needed me and this was my chance to make a contribution when it was really needed. Every Thursday when I saw people on their doorsteps I felt like I had the support of my community and even my nation behind me. It didn't erase the fear but I did draw strength from knowing the public were rooting for us. In the second wave like many of my colleagues I caught Covid at work, I received many messages of support from my Twitter followers which helped me through my isolation period.
Something that genuinely helped
Whether or not, in the end, you are someone who believed in the clap for carers, I can tell you that for me it was meaningful. It was something that genuinely helped me go to work every day and for that I want to say thank you to every person who clapped, banged a pot or cheered, because during that time you were our cheerleaders. Your intent was understood, it was appreciated. If you are reading this know that at a truly challenging time in my career, whether you stood in my street or on your own 200 miles away, every Thursday at 8 o’clock we were in it together and that is something I will never forget
