´óÏó´«Ã½

Last night's Clap for Carers could be the last one for a while.

The eight o'clock applause has taken place each and every Thursday for the last ten weeks - where people across the UK have clapped, cheered, banged pots and pans, all to show their appreciation for key workers and those working in the NHS.

Annemarie Plas, who came up with the idea of the clap, said she has been "overwhelmed" by the support for the weekly tribute, but now is a good time to stop.

"To have the most impact I think it is good to stop it at its peak." She said.

Check out the pictures from this week's Clap for Carers?

Annemarie thinks it might be a good idea to make the clap a yearly occasion, bringing it back in 2021 to mark a year since the coronavirus outbreak by paying tribute to the UK's health workers 12 months on.

"Stopping clapping doesn't mean we are not still appreciating them."

"Some people will still want to carry on, so they should."

"But we will stop and show our support in other ways - there are other initiatives we can support."

The first clap for carers began a few days into lockdown on 26 March, since then there have been more loud and elaborate displays of support for the key workers, risking their own lives to help others.

Messages have been projected on to buildings, emergency services have sounded their sirens, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has clapped outside of 10 Downing Street, and the sound of fireworks can regularly be heard throughout UK towns and cities on Thursday's at 8pm.

However, there has been criticism of the government's response. Labour Leader Sir Keir Stamer has told the government that people working in the NHS should be treated better saying they are "overlooked and underpaid".

Some health care workers have posted on social media saying members of the public shouldn't be clapping if they are not following social distancing rules, while telling the government that it's not applause that they need, but personal protective equipment (PPE).

Annemarie Plas says the responsibility now is with the "people that are in power" to reward key workers for all their hard work.

Ms Plas said people were welcome to continue the tradition and said she planned to keep meeting her neighbours on Thursday evenings.

"Next week I will still go out and see who is out there and just want to check in because we are still in crisis," she said.

"For me it is good to know who all my neighbours are, and to know I am not alone."