Coronavirus: Unique ways people are celebrating Mother's Day while quarantining

Mother's Day is today, Sunday 22 March

People are sharing the creative ways they are celebrating Mother’s Day in the UK after the majority of Britons were told to stay home amid fears over the spread of coronavirus.

Ahead of the holiday on Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to forgo typical Mother’s Day celebrations in an effort to keep the virus from spreading to high-risk individuals.

“If your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus,” he said. “This time, the best thing is to ring her, video call her, Skype her, but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity.”

On social media, people shared tributes to their mothers while reminding others of the importance of not seeing their parents in person - or doing so only if from a safe distance.

“Decided to ditch public transport and walked seven miles to hand deliver a Mother’s Day card,” novelist Irvine Welsh tweeted. “I couldn’t go in but we spoke at distance, her from her front door. She looked at my red trainers and said “you walked seven miles in these? Just as well the streets are empty.”

Another person shared a video of themselves wishing their mum a Happy Mother’s Day “Love Actually-style”.

In the video, which has since been viewed more than 3,000 times, a woman holds up signs for her mother, who is at home, to read from a distance, with the first one reading: “Do you have your glasses and hearing aid in? If not, do so…"

The signs then continue: “I’ve just come to say on this sunny bright day, thank you for being my mum. We all wish we could give you a hug and a kiss.”

Someone else shared a photo of themselves posing for a photo with their mother and father from outside the glass door of their parent’s home, while many others shared screenshots of FaceTime calls with their mums and families.

One woman celebrated her mum from quarantine by creating a special "socially distanced coronavirus Mother's Day menu" of meals her mother could make with the food she had in the house.

"Made a socially-distanced coronavirus Mother's Day menu to make up for not seeing each other, complete with basics she has at home lol," she wrote on Twitter alongside photos of the menu and her mum. "May not be a meal at Zizzi like usual but Lizzi (her name's Elizabeth please appreciate the pun) is just as good when it means we're staying safe."

Among those sharing Mother’s Day tributes was Victoria Beckham, who described the holiday amid the coronavirus pandemic as “like no other in the experience of our generation”.

“Today we celebrate a Mother’s Day like no other in the experience of our generation,” Beckham captioned a photo of herself and her mother as well as pictures of her and husband David Beckham’s children. “So many of us won’t be able to see our mums today. Most of us will be sending them virtual love and gratitude, while thinking especially of the families with those on the front lines taking care of others.

“We will all continue to be kind and resilient. Sending love to everyone today from us all x VB.”

The Mother's Day safety precautions come after the latest figures show the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK has risen above 5,000.