Coronavirus: Woman 'named and shamed' by neighbours on Facebook for not joining clap for carers

[T_i_B]

Whilst the current crisis has brought out the best in some people, it's also brought out the very worst behavior in others. From anti-lockdown protestors in the States to spiteful and over zealous people over here. And local community Farcebook groups can be pretty bad for this sort of nonsense too.

I absolutely love Clap for Carers but there is no excuse for calling out people who don't take part.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-woman-named-and-shamed-by-neighbours-on-facebook-for-not-joining-clap-for-carers-11978192

A woman says she was "named and shamed" by neighbours after she fell asleep and missed the weekly clap for carers tribute to NHS staff and key workers.

The mother said had been tired after "a rough night" with her son, and inadvertently failed to take part in the event despite having done so in previous weeks.

And writing on internet forum Mumsnet, the woman said she was later publicly criticised on the local community Facebook page.

The mother, who did not give her name or say where she lived, wrote: "I clapped originally and it was lovely and everyone turned out for it here.

"Last week, after a rough night with [my son] I fell asleep after he went down and missed the clapping. A post went on our community Facebook group actually naming and shaming me. I was mortified. The post said everyone else turned out and I showed the street up and if I can't spend a minute showing my appreciation I don't deserve to use the NHS if I or my family get ill.

[Thyla]

1. People, they're the worst!

In all seriousness though, while I admire the sentiment you wouldn't catch me at one of these germ fests. We are 6 weeks into full lockdown in Spain and they are still getting thousands of new cases daily. Too many people live in boxes on top of each other, no way would you want to be down on the street level come 8pm, it'd be festering.

[T_i_B]

2. An apartment balcony is a good place to clap!

Last edited Sat Apr 25, 2020, 03:54 AM - Edit history (2)

If your apartment has a balcony this is still doable.

I have a front garden so it's easy for me to clap while staying distanced.

It's actually quite moving to see your neighbours showing appreciation for health workers in this way.

[LeftishBrit]

4. You don't need to be on top of others to clap...

If you don't have a driveway, garden or balcony from which to clap, you can open a front window and clap.

[Soph0571]

7. That is what I do

Though I have to say the couple across the road, who have parties every frigging weekend came out to clap last night and I wanted to lob a very hard object at them. You don't follow the rules you do not get to to do faux appreciation of a health service, which by your actions, are adding additional strain.

[T_i_B]

8. I'm waiting for the backlash...

... about lack of social distancing at VE day celebrations. The street party thing was clearly promoted as a social distancing party with everyone in their own front gardens. However, that's fallen by the wayside in a fair few cases.

[tazkcmo]

3. She worries too much

About what her friends think. if this is the worst thing that happens to these people they're having a pretty good f****** day

[LeftishBrit]

5. That's disgusting

I do clap and love this way of showing appreciation, but it loses its point if it becomes compulsory. Also, (1) if this nosey neighbour is so knowledgeable about who is clapping or not, then she may be getting a bit less than two metres from people; (2) the time spent on complaining on Facebook could have been more profitably spent on, for example, writing to her MP to ask for more PPE for carers.

[T_i_B]

6. Some people may using the lockdown as a chance for a petty vendetta against neighbours

One thing I've heard reports of (but thankfully not come across myself) is people reporting key workers to the police for the heinous crime of going to work. The fact that you don't need a uniform to be a key worker is clearly lost on some people.

Link to tweet

As to the Farcebook thing, I was watching "Harry Enfield and Chums" on Netflix last week and the Self Righteous Brothers sketches reminded me a LOT of how some people are behaving online at the moment. Lockdown is bad enough without that sort of petty judgmental nonsense!