Support for heroes does not diminish

Those taking part in the Clap for Heroes certainly turned up the decibels … and none more so than the singing nuns from St Anthony’s Convent of Mercy.

And the timing of the support couldn’t be better, as our NHS heroes put their foot on the gas to get the population vaccinated against COVID-19.

As we reveal today, demand is outstripping supply as the race to get ahead of the virus hots up.

On the plus side, health chiefs have made good progress, giving jabs to about two thirds of the city’s care home workers and predicting all care home residents will have received a first dose by the end of this week.

On the down side, a rush to continue the work among priority groups could well see demand quickly outstrip supply.

It is a development we will be watching closely, but trusting that those in power will keep on top of the situation. They have to.

In the meantime, the support shown across the community may not have been as vocal as the the last clap for carers event, but the sentiment of the initiative is still there.

Sister Josepha summed up the feelings of all of us when she said: “We know a lot of people who work in hospitals, so when I heard the Clap for Heroes was starting again we decided to do something to brighten people’s spirits and say thank you. The claps have been quieter this year, but we’ll do it again.

"There’s been a lot of pain and suffering because of the virus and we want to show people that our love and prayers are with them, whatever the weather.”

Too true...