Reward our NHS heroes with money

BORIS Johnson promises to unveil the roadmap this week which will lead to an easing of lockdown.

But for our healthcare heroes battling Covid-19 on the frontline, there will be little respite.

We may have passed through the peak of this invisible killer, but it will carry on killing for months to come.

Nurses and doctors have only more blood, sweat and tears to look forward to, and there will be no let up for the hospital cleaners, caterers and porters or the paramedics, physios and radiographers alongside them.

There will be no let up for the care workers struggling to contain infections ripping through their places of work or for those in hospices comforting the dying.

And no let up in grief for heartbroken Intisar Chowdhury, mourning his hospital consultant dad who complained to the PM of lack of PPE before corona killed him.

In our pages today Intisar pleads: “Do not let my father’s death be in vain.”

And he says if his dad were here he would be proud to support the Sunday Mirror campaign to reward all our healthcare heroes now.

We are demanding a daily, tax-free payment for frontline health workers similar to the allowance given to our armed forces in war zones.

The supplement would last as long as this crisis does, after which healthcare staff must get the pay settlement they deserve.

We have the backing of two esteemed military warriors, Lord Dannatt and Lord Richards. We have the backing of former Labour PM Tony Blair. And a Commons motion tabled by MPs backs us too.

But today you can do your bit to get government action – by signing our Parliamentary petition urging Boris Johnson to do the right thing by those giving their all to save lives.

Years of NHS neglect have contributed to an emergency which was waiting to happen. Years of running down social care added to the agony.

The NHS saved the PM’s life. Mr Johnson can throw a lifeline to those he should thank for that. With extra cash now.