New Yorkers cheer for essential workers from windows and stoops

At 7 p.m. on March 27, the applause rang out like clockwork.

Hundreds of New Yorkers leaned from their windows and came together in a grand symphony of cheers dedicated to the city’s healthcare employees, first responders, essential workers and all others on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19 — right in the epicenter of the disease.

It was the type of ovation that demanded you stop and listen, even if, like myself, you had no idea what was going on at the time.

The city-wide movement, which gained traction on social media last week through the hashtag #ClapBecauseWeCare, asked New York City residents to join together in a two-minute round of applause from their front doors, windows, balconies, roofs, gardens or anywhere else they could from a safe social distance.

“Let’s show everyone how much we appreciate the hard work, fight, and solidarity against the virus,” one post explained.

And, in the true New York spirit, people over-delivered.

The planned one-day event quickly turned into an every-night affair, with thunderous applause ringing out across every borough at 7 p.m. sharp and lasting until hands become weary.

It has been one full week since the inception of #ClapBecauseWeCare in New York City, and the movement has shown no signs of slowing down.

The daily rounds of applause have actually been growing near my own apartment, which is situated right by a major hospital.

Sometimes, a cowbell or bike horn gets thrown in the mix, further stoking the palpable excitement. Other times, a truck will blare its horn along with the heartfelt ovation — technically an illegal move, but if ever there was a time to let it slide, this is it.

If you enjoyed this story, you may want to watch this family’s quarantine spoof of “One Day More” from “Les Misérables.”

More from In The Know:

Ina Garten makes a quarantine-worthy cosmo

3 hilarious games to play at home this weekend

Here’s what’s new on Hulu this April

Here’s how Gen Z teens create the perfect fake freckles

The post New Yorkers cheer for essential workers from windows and stoops appeared first on In The Know.