As the UK endures a third national lockdown amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the UK public once again want to show their thanks for NHS heroes.

Web searches for “support the NHS” have increased by 125 per cent since the beginning of the third UK national lockdown.

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In March last year, people across the UK would stand on their doorsteps every Thursday evening to clap for carers.

Boris Johnson joined people across the country in thanking frontline healthcare workers who were going above and beyond to help treat victims of the coronavirus pandemic.  

At the time a Downing Street spokesperson said: “Like millions of people across the country, the prime minister joined in the Clap for Carers this evening, to say thank you for the incredible efforts of the country's doctors, nurses and care workers."

However, news that Clap for Carers would be returning earlier this month received negative reaction as people wanted to support health care workers in a more meaningful way.

If you want to find a productive way of supporting the NHS while still sticking to Covid guidelines, face mask company Ally has come up with five easy suggestions.

Share your love for the NHS on social media

Share your love for the National Health Service by sharing links to supporting charities on social media. You can also reach out to an NHS staff member, or NHS team, and tell them how much they are appreciated. A little gesture like this can really go a long way.

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Follow the NHS for factual information

Follow the NHS on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook for factual information and news updates straight from the source. This will help ensure you avoid misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.

Educate yourself on current guidelines

Update yourself on the current Covid-19 guidelines and restrictions where you live. Most importantly, adhere to them, and stay at home.

Donate to NHS charities and support networks

There are a variety of charities that have been set up to support the NHS. The Healthcare Workers Foundation is one such organisation, started by NHS workers to help NHS workers throughout the pandemic. You can donate directly to the charity here.

There is also the NHS charities together website, which gives more information on more than 240 NHS charities across the UK.

Apply to volunteer

There are several ways to volunteer to help out the NHS during the pandemic. This can be done by volunteering at your local hospital, training to administer vaccines, or joining a track and trace team.