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A moving message from NHS workers has been projected onto the Houses of Parliament calling for adequate protection for frontline staff amid the coronavirus crisis.
Led By Donkeys, which made a name for itself by putting up posters and projecting videos of politicians contradicting themselves throughout the Brexit process, was behind the stunt.
The video, projected onto the Houses of Parliament and posted online early on Friday morning, following the weekly Clap for Carers held on Thursday evening.
The video features a number of unnamed frontline workers – starting with a staff member appealing directly to Boris Johnson, who was discharged from hospital on Sunday after his own life-threatening battle with the virus.
She says: “Prime minister, we’re happy to hear you’ve recovered from Covid-19. For doctors and nurses there’s no greater feeling than watching a patient be discharged and heading home.
“The NHS saved your life. Now we need you to save ours.”
Other workers, some of whom who have lost colleagues to the virus, then come forward to plead for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).
“This week we’ve seen health care assistants, nurses and doctors in the NHS losing their lives to this deadly disease,” one staff member adds.
“We need personal protective equipment now.”
HuffPost UK revealed on Thursday that the government was still unable to say how much more PPE was actually required – despite NHS staff and other frontline workers, such as care home employees, crying out for lifesaving protection.
“An already very stressful time for NHS staff is being made worse by inadequate protection,” said one staff member in the video.
“Without it, they risk becoming unwell, and who will then be left to look after the rest of us, look after our loved ones and those we care about?” added another.
The. short video also featured a final year medical student who was preparing to start working in the NHS.
She said: “My parents ask me: ’Will you be safe? Will you have proper PPE?′ I don’t know.”
The Clap for Carers movement has been widely praised for bolstering the nation’s spirits and millions of pounds have been raised to help support the health service, butt he government have repeatedly been called on to step up and provide more PPE.
There was widespread backlash on Wednesday evening after health secretary Matt Hancock unveiled a new badge for care workers, with many calling for more meaningful action to help struggling cares.
The Led By Donkeys video echoed this message, with workers calling on the government to do its “duty” and protect staff.
One worker said: “It’s the duty of government and employers to protect their staff, and there are clearly failures.”
Another added: “It’s time for the government to act and save the lives of those we clap for every single Thursday.”