There are comparable episodes of applause in the US, especially in hard hit places like New York City and New Orleans. Lines of police and firefighters on the street outside the hospital staff exits as well. It isn't like they can do anything about the personal protective equipment, the lack of ventilators, the piling up of bodies, but they can express support. A friend of mine lives a block north of the old St. Vincent's location - in an email the other day he remarked on the time, noting that he could hear people clapping from the street and surrounding buildings. He's usually a curmudgeon to do with city noise, but I think the streets are so much quieter now that it's probably a surreal thing to hear.