If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨
Clap for carers: meaningful gesture or too little too late?
JustV
Community Manager Posts: 5,577 Part of The Furniture
I've been talking to some people recently about clap for carers -
where everyone claps at 8pm on a Thursday to show support to the key
workers carrying us all through this pandemic. I know most people in my
life are generally in support of it and think it's a lovely thing to do. The people in my house clap every week and my aunt seems to appreciate it as a key worker - I think it gives her a lift.
However,
some people don't like it. I know people who feel like a clap is too
little too late, particualrly for NHS workers who have been on the
recieving end of a huge amount of budget cuts over the last decade.
There seems to be some resentment there for the public for not voting in
politicians who care for the NHS. Kinda like a clap feels like a
plaster when what they really need is money from the government and support from everyone,
all the time; not just during a pandemic when we need them the most.
I'm curious: what do you all think about clap for carers?
All behaviour is a need trying to be met.
The truth resists simplicity.
Clap for carers: meaningful gesture or too little too late? 20 votes
0
Comments
I also stopped clapping because people where I live clap, but also have loads of people round constantly and keep breaking lockdown rules and I don't want to clap along side someone putting themselves at risk and putting more pressure on key workers with their own stupidity
The children who suddenly got taken out of school and don't understand what's going on.
The parents trying their best to keep their families safe while working from home.
The grandparents unable to connect with anyone physically, just to stay healthy and safe.
The people still going into work to keep the country going.
The teens who want nothing more than to see their friends but have accepted with fear, what's going on and stayed home.
Edit: meant to vote for 'meaningful gesture' :P
i understand its original intention of simply applauding carers and key workers for their hard work
but its turned at least here into an excuse to break social distancing for the evening and party for over an hour.
Thats most hypocritical in my eyes, clap for their underpaid hard work and then put each other at risk it needs to dial down or stop i think
the first clap felt really nice and lots of meaninng but im glad today was the last clap kinda doesnt feel the same as the first few times. And i dont like seeing my neighbours clapping when ive seen many people go inside their house. It is also annoying that people go to the hospital to clap but none of them was even socially distancing. But other than that it is nice and dont think it has to do with politics.
the NHS has been struggling for awhile and we cant control that. Only gov can. Even when we vote we are still not sure what will be getting so we are a bit powerless in that sense. They have been struggling for awhile and still appericate them being there but this is still the biggest thingy worker have face atm in thsi time.
@Mike what do you think?
Personally I think it was a really nice gesture as frontline workers working in the NHS and social care have been undervalued & underpaid for too long and are now risking their lives to support those in need. However, as the weeks go on, I've seen more and more people using it as an excuse to meet up and not social distance which directly undermines the whole message.
The clapping was a nice gesture at first, but once it became weekly it lost a bit of its meaning. And of course you get the people who think so long as they clap for the NHS they can do what they like in terms of lockdown the rest of the week.
My stance is that key workers, particularly NHS staff always put themselves in harm's way to care for patients - why should it take a worldwide pandemic for our key workers to finally get the recognition they deserve?
There were 8.2 reported attacks on ambulance workers a day in Great Britain in 2016/17. This is completely unacceptable for ambulance workers who are there to help each and every one of us.
Whilst I understand the gesture, more must be done by the public to ensure the safety of our NHS staff. Not just from health risks, but from physical and verbal attacks on NHS staff.
Nobody deserves to be hurt, but this particularly applies for NHS workers who have worked daily since 1948 to provide care to us.
i think that whatever we do or say someone is always going to find the negative in it. This came from a member of the public and had good intentions. The thing I do take issue with is the politicians *cough* Boris *cough* clapping it just feels like a slap in the face... and it just feels insincere.
Yeah ive seen people clap for other carers like firemen and even delivery drivers.