Coronavirus: People across UK fall silent in tribute to fallen key workers – in pictures

‘The nation will not forget you,’ says Boris Johnson

Key workers who lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic have been remembered across the nation with a minute’s silence.

On Tuesday, thousands paused at 11am in tribute to the sacrifice made by those on the front line, from doctors and nurses to carers, cleaners, porters and bus drivers.

Political leaders were among those to take part, as were members of the general public.

Doctors and nurses around the country also took a brief pause from their work to stand in silence and remember colleagues they have lost to the virus.

Prime minister Boris Johnson, who has just returned to work after recovering from Covid-19, stood in silence alongside cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill and chancellor Rishi Sunak inside 10 Downing Street.

Afterwards, Mr Johnson tweeted: “This morning I took part in a minute's silence to remember those workers who have tragically died in the coronavirus pandemic.

“The nation will not forget you.”

Elsewhere, Scotland’s first secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, stood outside St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, while Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford and the health minister, Vaughan Gething, marked the silence at government headquarters in Cardiff.

Flags were also flown at half-mast outside hospitals and ambulance headquarters, and London underground and bus networks were brought to a halt.

The minute’s silence was organised as part of a collaboration between public service trade union Unison, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives.

Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “I am heartened to hear how many people took part in the minute's silence to honour the memory of staff who have tragically died during the pandemic.

“We thought it was important to pay tribute publicly to those who have lost their lives to the virus, and I am proud that so many took the time to do so this morning.”

She also issued an urgent call for protection of workers, saying the death toll must not be allowed to rise.

“An even greater task now remains -– to stop more joining the tragic number of those who have died. All key workers, healthcare staff among them, must be afforded the greatest protection,” she said.

So far, there have been more than 100 confirmed deaths of frontline workers since 25 March.

The silence – which was held on International Workers' Memorial Day – was in stark contrast to the enthusiastic, loud clapping that has become a weekly focal point across the UK in “Clap For Our Carers” tributes.

Andrea Sutcliffe, chief executive and registrar for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), said: “Our tribute in silence today is as important as the noisy cheering for the NHS, social care and key workers on a Thursday evening.”

The Society of Occupational Medicine, whose members include more than 1,700 doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and technicians, has said the goal should be zero work-caused fatalities.

It is calling for the government to prevent any further work-related deaths and for employers to carry out risk assessments so people can safely return to their jobs when the lockdown is eased.