I hope Boris Johnson is well enough to discuss NHS pay and conditions – Susan Morrison

Boris Johnson's letter has been sent to households across the UK (Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images) | 2020 Getty Images

One good side-effect of all this clapping for carers has been the chance to see the neighbours. I know, people have mixed feelings about the applause. Perhaps it’s run its course.

More uplifting are the rainbows and the messages of thanks to the NHS posted up in windows all over the city.

Applause for the NHS should be an annual event, only much bigger, with floats, marching bands and the Queen waving from a bed being pushed up the High Street. Mind you, I missed the clapping for Boris, mainly because I didn’t even know this was a thing. I tend not to read The Express, The Telegraph or the Daily Mail, who seemed to think this was the very thing to stiffen the nation’s resolve.

This, remember, is the man who said in the early days that he’d still go around shaking hands, whilst medical experts stared at him ashen-faced on live TV.

After the event the cheerleaders for Boris went all huffy about lefty pinkos who failed to slap paws to support this one victim of Covid-19, and used that peevish overtone these newspapers always have, with girny headlines like ”Let’s pull together for Boris”.

It was like an attempt to recreate that moment you get during stage versions of Peter Pan, when the audience is encouraged to applaud wildly to bring Tinkerbell back to life, because every time you don’t clap a fairy dies. The Fringe must be Armageddon for the supernatural folk.

“Clap for Boris or the PM cops it” is hardly the rallying cry we need right now.

I am glad to hear he’s recovering, as I would be about anyone hit with this terrible virus. The last report said he was interacting with staff. Good. I hope he’s discussing their pay and conditions.

He must be better. He’s just sent me a letter. I’ve disinfected the letterbox.