Coronavirus: NHS workers ‘in tears’ as they are given flowers at supermarkets

‘That’s the best end to a weekend on call,’ doctor tweets

NHS staff have been left overwhelmed with emotion after being given bouquets of flowers during their morning supermarket shops.​

Several supermarkets, including Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s have introduced dedicated shopping hours for healthcare workers to ensure they do not go without after stockpiling left shelves empty.

In addition to allowing NHS staff into their stores before other people, some supermarkets have also been giving them flowers as a small token of their appreciation for the work they do.

Several NHS workers have tweeted about receiving the flowers while food shopping, with one person saying the gesture left her “crying” in the supermarket.

“Nearly cried in the supermarket today... went to the early NHS shop time for @sainsburys and everyone was so kind and gave me a free bunch of flowers as I left and said ‘thank you’,” one person wrote. “That’s the best end to a weekend on call.”

“On entering #tesco #truro at 9am for #nhs staff shop Tesco gave everyone entering a bouquet of flowers to say thank you to the #nhs for all they were doing... I’m crying again in a supermarket but this time for people being #kind #thankyou Tesco,” another said.

Someone else expressed their thanks towards Tesco for giving a bouquet of flowers to their partner, who works for the NHS.

“I’m always proud of him but it’s lovely to see the NHS appreciated,” they said. “Thank you to all the supermarket workers helping us all too.”

Another Twitter user described how their trip to Tesco in Newtown left them “in tears” when they witnessed the “kindness” being shown towards NHS staff.

“Well done and thank you to all our supermarket staff working so hard to do their best for us,” they said.

It was recently reported that a portable coronavirus test kit that takes only 50 minutes from sample to result could be available for NHS staff within weeks.

Dr Justin O’Grady, research group leader at the Quadram Institute in Norwich, said the test kit aims to help self-isolating medical staff to return to work as quickly as possible and ensure those who are at work are not spreading the virus.