Addressing the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out a new set of rules for the British public in order to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.
New measures are now in force, and we are being urged to stay at home. Acceptable reasons for leaving the house include shopping for essential items, one form of exercise per day, any medical need, providing care for a vulnerable person or travelling to and from work but only when 'absolutely necessary'.
The PM also warned that if people didn't adhere to the temporary lockdown that the NHS would be hugely impacted, saying: 'Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses.
'And as we have seen elsewhere, in other countries that also have fantastic health care systems, that is the moment of real danger.
'To put it simply, if too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to handle it - meaning more people are likely to die, not just from Coronavirus but from other illnesses as well.'
So to show support for all those working on the frontline, many people across the UK are planning to clap on their doorstops, in their gardens, from their windows and balconies at 8pm on Thursday 26th March.
The #clapforourcarers message on social media reads: 'During these unprecedented times they [NHS workers] need to know that we are grateful.
'Please join us on: 26 March at 8pm for a big applause (from front doors, garden, balcony, windows, living rooms, etc.) to show all who are working at the frontline, our appreciation for their ongoing hard work and fight against the virus.'
If you want to spread the word, simply share a screenshot of the message and join the nation as we come together to show our support for the NHS and other key workers.
