Coronavirus: What is the ‘Covhead challenge’ and which celebrities have taken part?

People are taking part in challenge to support the NHS

While NHS staff are hard at work treating patients who have contracted the coronavirus, people at home have been showing their support for those on the frontline of the pandemic.

From uplifting posters in the workplace to dedicated shopping hours at supermarkets, people and companies have been demonstrating their appreciation for healthcare workers in a variety of innovative ways.

During the lockdown, many members of the public will likely be wondering how their hair will fare if they go weeks or months on end without a visit to the hairdressers.

As a means of figuring out this conundrum while also supporting the NHS, several people have been taking part in the “Covhead challenge“.

The aim of the challenge is simple — for participants to nominate others to shave their heads while also donating money towards the NHS.

A fundraising page for the challenge has been launched on JustGiving, with a target of £100,000.

The initiative has so far raised more than £18,200 for NHS Charities Together, a collective that supports the work of the NHS’ official charities.

“We want to help raise funds for NHS Charities Together who help allocate the funding and supplies to over 250 Charities that support the NHS across the UK,” the campaign’s description states on its fundraising page.

“Whilst we’re stuck at home during this unprecedented time due to Covid-19, let’s help by shaving your own #CovHead-19. Let’s have some fun, donate some money to a good cause and create some positives out of a bad situation. Let’s help provide the NHS with the support they need to help us through this time.”

Several England rugby players recently took part in the “Covhead challenge”, including Henry Slade, Ellis Genge and Luke Cowan-Dickie.

Actor Stephen Graham also shared a video of himself on Twitter having his head shaved, tweeting with the caption: “Lockdown locks!!!!”

Several Welsh rugby players, including Tomos Williams and Cory Hill, recently shaved their heads in support of the NHS, raising money on another JustGiving page and using the hashtag “#stayathomebaldy”.

Meanwhile, Avengers star Chris Evans helped his brother, Scott Evans, shave his head while at home in the US.

The “Covhead challenge” was launched by 23-year-old William Bull, from West Oxfordshire.

Mr Bull said that he had wanted to shave his head for a long time, but never did.

“I kind of wanted to show a little bit of appreciation to everyone working in the NHS,” he stated.

“With everyone stuck inside, everyone can do it. It is simply to get people making the most of a bad situation,” he said.