Open your window, stand on your balcony and clap.
The rounds of applause for health care workers, first responders and grocery store employees that have echoed through cities across the globe came to neighborhoods in Boston and beyond Friday night.
Folks across Massachusetts clapped and cheered for those on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus — posting their videos online afterward with the hashtag #ClapBecauseWeCare for all to see.
South Boston resident Corey Dinopoulos, who helped organize participants via social media, said he was inspired by the outpouring of support he saw around the world. He’s now asking people to join in cheering on frontline workers at 7 p.m. each Friday.
“It’s one of those things that just makes you feel good deep inside to do,” Dinopoulos told the Herald. “I also have many friends working in health care that I think of everyday because they’re on the front lines. They’re truly heroes.”
Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley said he planned to clap for his neighbor, a nurse, and the countless other medical workers battling against COVID-19 each day.
“Obviously it’s just a small gesture and I don’t think we’ll ever be able to adequately thank and acknowledge the sacrifice that our frontline medical personnel and first responders have demonstrated over the past couple of weeks and the next several weeks,” O’Malley said.
He added, “I’m hopeful that people will just take a couple minute despite the cold and windy and wet weather just to clap and thank some of our folks who are serving the city and the region.”
Major Boston hospitals institutions are joining in the collective round of applause, from the Red Sox Foundation to the TD Garden.
The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association held a virtual round of applause.
The Boxborough Police Department tweeted that officers held a “Clap Because We Care procession” with lights and sirens.
U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., posted a video of herself thanking health care workers before breaking into applause.
“We are so grateful to everyone who is caring for patients in this pandemic,” Clark said. “I will continue to fight in Washington to make sure you have the protective equipment you need.”
State Rep. Majorie Decker, D-Cambridge, also joined in, saying, “Thank you to our grocery store workers, our cashiers, our nurses, our doctors, all of our staff who make it possible for people to go to the hospital, check into the hospital, make it possible to eat, all of our truck drivers.”
Twitter user Alison Hession tweeted a video of applause ringing out from her Savin Hill street.
Earlier in the day Brigham and Women’s Hospital tweeted, “When we stand together, we’re stronger together. Tonight at 7, join Brigham Health in saluting all essential personnel, across Boston and beyond, with a collective round of applause from your home. We all have a role to play, and we cannot do this alone.”
Boston Children’s Hospital tweeted, “Today at 7 p.m. ET, open up a window or stand in front of your house to show support for our clinical teams and others who have been working tirelessly on the front-lines during this unprecedented time,” Boston Children’s Hospital tweeted.
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Original story here.