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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.
Created with Sketch.
Created with Sketch.
1/30
Staff react outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak
PA
2/30
Staff inside Camberwell bus depot in London, during a minute's silence
PA
3/30
NHS staff at the Mater hospital in Belfast, during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
4/30
Shoppers observe a minute's silence in Tescos in Shoreham
Getty
5/30
Firefighters outside Godstone fire station
PA
6/30 Salford Royal Hospital
Getty
7/30 Salford Royal Hospital
PA
8/30
Hospital workers take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE across Britain for all workers in care, the NHS and other vital public services after a nationwide minute's silence at University College Hospital in London
AP
9/30
A school children's poster hanging outside Glenfield Hospital during a minute's silence
Getty
10/30
A man holds a placard that reads "People's health before profit" outside St Thomas hospital
Getty
11/30
Staff members applaud outside the Royal Derby Hospital, following a minute's silence
PA
12/30
Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Prime minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, stand inside 10 Downing Street, London, to observe a minutes silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak
PA
13/30 University College Hospital, London
Hospital workers hold placards with the names of their colleagues who have died from coronavirus as they take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE
AP
14/30
Staff at Waterloo Station in London, stand to observe a minute's silence, to pay tribute to NHS and key workers who have died with coronavirus
AP
15/30
Medical staff at the Louisa Jordan hospital stand during a UK wide minutes silence to commemorate the key workers who have died with coronavirus in Glasgow
Getty
16/30 London
An NHS worker observes a minute's silence at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Reuters
17/30 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London
AFP via Getty
18/30 Belfast, Northern Ireland
NHS staff observe a minutes silence at Mater Infirmorum Hospital
Reuters
19/30 Plymouth
NHS workers hold a minute's silence outside the main entrance of Derriford Hospital
Getty
20/30
NHS Frimley Park Hospital staff at the A&E department observe a minute's silence
Getty
21/30 Mater Infirmorum Hospital
People applaud after a minutes silence in honour of key workers
Reuters
22/30 Waterloo Station, London
AP
23/30
Wreaths laid outside Sheffield town hall
PA
24/30
A group of trade unionists and supporters standing outside Sheffield town hall
PA
25/30
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stands outside St Andrew's House in Edinburgh to observe a minute's silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak
PA
26/30
Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence
PA
27/30 London
Police officers observe a minutes silence at Guy's Hospital
Reuters
28/30
A woman standing outside Sheffield town hall
PA
29/30 Royal Derby Hospital
PA
30/30 Leicester,
NHS workers during a minute's silence outside Glenfield Hospital
Getty
1/30
Staff react outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak
PA
2/30
Staff inside Camberwell bus depot in London, during a minute's silence
PA
3/30
NHS staff at the Mater hospital in Belfast, during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
4/30
Shoppers observe a minute's silence in Tescos in Shoreham
Getty
5/30
Firefighters outside Godstone fire station
PA
6/30 Salford Royal Hospital
Getty
7/30 Salford Royal Hospital
PA
8/30
Hospital workers take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE across Britain for all workers in care, the NHS and other vital public services after a nationwide minute's silence at University College Hospital in London
AP
9/30
A school children's poster hanging outside Glenfield Hospital during a minute's silence
Getty
10/30
A man holds a placard that reads "People's health before profit" outside St Thomas hospital
Getty
11/30
Staff members applaud outside the Royal Derby Hospital, following a minute's silence
PA
12/30
Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Prime minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, stand inside 10 Downing Street, London, to observe a minutes silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak
PA
13/30 University College Hospital, London
Hospital workers hold placards with the names of their colleagues who have died from coronavirus as they take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE
AP
14/30
Staff at Waterloo Station in London, stand to observe a minute's silence, to pay tribute to NHS and key workers who have died with coronavirus
AP
15/30
Medical staff at the Louisa Jordan hospital stand during a UK wide minutes silence to commemorate the key workers who have died with coronavirus in Glasgow
Getty
16/30 London
An NHS worker observes a minute's silence at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Reuters
17/30 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London
AFP via Getty
18/30 Belfast, Northern Ireland
NHS staff observe a minutes silence at Mater Infirmorum Hospital
Reuters
19/30 Plymouth
NHS workers hold a minute's silence outside the main entrance of Derriford Hospital
Getty
20/30
NHS Frimley Park Hospital staff at the A&E department observe a minute's silence
Getty
21/30 Mater Infirmorum Hospital
People applaud after a minutes silence in honour of key workers
Reuters
22/30 Waterloo Station, London
AP
23/30
Wreaths laid outside Sheffield town hall
PA
24/30
A group of trade unionists and supporters standing outside Sheffield town hall
PA
25/30
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stands outside St Andrew's House in Edinburgh to observe a minute's silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak
PA
26/30
Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence
PA
27/30 London
Police officers observe a minutes silence at Guy's Hospital
Reuters
28/30
A woman standing outside Sheffield town hall
PA
29/30 Royal Derby Hospital
PA
30/30 Leicester,
NHS workers during a minute's silence outside Glenfield Hospital
Getty
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.