The sounds of cheering, pots banging and clapping can be heard from Italy to Spain, France and beyond as residents take to their balconies, porches and front doors every evening to show their appreciation for health-care workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, Flamborough is making some noise for those working on the frontline of this pandemic.

“It seems to be the community’s getting a little bit more aware of it and it sounds like people are trying to get out,” said Sandra Shewchuk.

At 7:30 p.m., Shewchuk and her daughter Abby, 8, stand outside their door and bang pots as a show of appreciation for the doctors, nurses, personal support workers and others working in the health-care field.

“The health-care workers, the frontline workers, they're leaving their homes, they're leaving their families to take a risk and to help our societies,” she said. “I thought two minutes of our time to go and make some noise... it’s nothing.”

The initiative started in Spain and Italy and quickly caught on in countries like Denmark, South America and the United Kingdom. The movement was picked up across the Atlantic Ocean last week, when the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario sent out a call for cheers provincewide starting on March 19 and invited everyone to join in and be as loud as they can every evening until the battle against COVID-19 is over.

It's part of the association's #TogetherWeCanDoIt campaign, said Marilyn Harrison, who works as a nurse.

Harrison, who alongside her husband, head outside to make some noise every evening also take the opportunity to check in with their neighbours — from a distance.

“After several very long days at work and with changing things happening in our world every day, each day becomes a little bit more stressful,” Harrison said, describing the campaign as an outlet and stress relief. 

Meghan Lowry-Freitag is in awe of the frontline healthcare workers after witnessing first-hand their dedication after attending McMaster Children's Hospital for a non-coronavirus related visit with her daughter. 

“The doctors and nurses were exceptional," she said. "They brought extra toys into the room, they had to mask up every time they came in the room and out, and throw it out right away. I could see how resources will be a nervous thing right now."

Lowry-Freitag has been doing her part to spread the word of the initiative and said she’ll continue for as long as the pandemic lasts.

Waterdown's Kris Newman said she has been working to get her entire condominium complex involved in the #TogetherWeCanDoIt initiative. She has gone as far as leaving cupcake offerings to a couple of neighbours who are healthcare workers.

“I do think it’s something really important for us to do right now,” she said.

Newman said she worries for her neighbours who work in the field and other frontline staff like grocery workers, but she said she knows they are dedicated and will continue to serve the community regardless of the risks.

“I think it has taken us some time for it to sink in how serious this is, but I think once you comprehend the seriousness of it, you do become concerned for people whose exposure levels are high,” she said.

“I think we also need some positive vibes going in our communities.”