Spain resonates with applause for healthcare workers

 

AHEAD of the national shutdown to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, a nationwide movement to express heartfelt thanks to the medical staff working round the clock and risking contagion has taken to the streets: Even in back lanes in small towns, at a specific time in the evening, the country goes out onto the balcony to give healthcare workers a round of applause.

The first was on Saturday night at 22.00, but was moved forward to 20.00 on Sunday 'so children could join in'.

In practice, with all schools in Spain now shut for at least the next fortnight, most kids are going to bed at the same time as their parents, as they usually do at weekends and in the holidays.

Entire streets echoed with residents standing at open windows or on their balconies clapping for over 10 minutes en masse, many also whooping and cheering and shouting out a collective, ¡Gracias!

The move, under the hashtag #AplausoSanitario, started out being passed around on WhatsApp and then being mentioned in the media – although even those who did not get the message or see the headlines were in no doubt about what was happening when they heard the night-time ovation, and guessed what it was for.

A trend which started in Italy – although which mainly involves music being played at a certain time in the evening – it has now spread rapidly all over Spain, and video footage and pictures of lit-up front rooms from every corner of the country have been shared on social media.

In large towns and cities, the applause is so widespread that it almost sounds like heavy rain on the roof, resonating in the now-empty streets, and often accompanied with, “¡Vivan los sanitarios!” ('Long live the health workers!').

It is not clear whether this will continue every night of the shutdown, or whether it was just for the weekend – but if you hear clapping tonight, open your window and join in.

But don't go right outside – there'll be time for that later.