Two brave healthcare workers have been photographed standing up to lockdown protestors by blocking their way in the street.

Yesterday, protestors took to the streets in Colorado, Michigan, and Maryland, creating gridlocks and holding signs out of their vehicles in an effort to voice their displeasure against the country's lockdown measures - which they perceive as unjust policies.

However, in Colorado, two healthcare workers decided to counter-protest by standing on the road in their hospital scrubs.

The video below, which was posted by software engineer Marc Zeenn, was captioned: "Two nurses, who have witnessed first hand the toll Covid is taking in Colorado, stood up and peacefully counter protested. Here is how they were treated. I had join them."

Watch the counter-protest below: 

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Throughout the US, countless people have been protesting the lockdown measures implemented because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Further commentary to the protest was added to the incident by journalist Chase Woodruff.

Sharing pictures of the incident, he wrote: "Remarkable scene at 12th and Grant, where two healthcare workers from a Denver-area hospital - they declined to say which or give their names - are standing in the crosswalk during red lights as a 'reminder,' they say, of why shutdown measures are in place."

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Woodruff continued: "They say they've been treating COVID patients for weeks. Today most of the people driving by have been 'very aggressive,' they say. I've been standing here for a few minutes and already seen two people get in their faces."

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The video below puts the extent of the protest into context: 

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Additional pictures of the protest were posted by Charles Croucher to Twitter.

They were captioned: "An incredible series of photos by Alyson McClaran in Denver. She writes 'health care workers stand in the street in counter-protest to hundreds of people who... demand he stay-at-home order be lifted'."

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Shelly Bradbury, a breaking news reporter at The Denver Post, reported this protestor saying: "Pot shops are open, abortion clinics are open and my church is closed."

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Each of the protests that took place over the weekend followed a similar format of cars turning up in central places in cities. The protesters would be holding signs demanding that the economy be opened up again and that people should be free to work, with many claiming that the threat posed by the coronavirus has been exaggerated.

In the majority of states, the lockdown orders have been extended until May.

A restaurant has sparked a debate on social media after forcing customers to prove they are unvaccinated before they can be served.

Per NBC News, the controversy was provoked by a Pasadena-based Italian restaurant named Basilico's Pasta e Vino.

In a Facebook post on July 22, owner Tony Roman shared an image of a sign which he had posted on the front door of his establishment, which read: "Notice proof of being UNvaccinated required.

"We have a zero-tolerance for treasonous, anti-American stupidity. Thank you for pondering."

Roman wrote captioned his post: "HEY CITY OF PASADENA, TAKE THAT! More American counties, cities, and businesses doubling down on anti-American lockdown mandates?

"Well 'Basilico's Pasta e Vino' just tripled down: From day one, never complied, banned masks, and now ... requiring proof of being Un-vaccinated! @cityofpasadena. [sic]"

On social media, a number of people have since debated the restaurant's policy, with some defending it, while others have lambasted the establishment.

One person wrote: "GOD BLESS. Thank you for being a fearless leader in the community. [sic]"

A second added: "Thank you for your support of the American people and FREEDOM!! - from New York."

While another added: "Wish more businesses had the guts to stand up for our rights."

In a later statement made to NBC News, Roman told the outlet: "We have never complied with any restrictions since, and when the tiny tyrants go on the attack with new mandates, we fire back launching new missiles of defiance.

"And with the new and aggressive push for mandatory vax policies, we couldn't resist, so we are sending a message of our own. Hopefully, most are smart enough to read between the lines.

"Otherwise, we will just sit back and have fun watching their heads explode over it."

Indeed, Roman appeared to double-down on his provocative stance in a later Facebook video, stating in it that his business has received hundreds of one-star hateful reviews from outraged members of the public.

He also testified that the restaurant's landlord threatened to evict them, that local and state government threatened to shut them down, and that he has received multiple death threats.

Featured Image Credit: The Picture Pantry / Alamy

The UK's secretary of state for health and social care has taken to social media to praise 4,000 retired nurses and 500 doctors who have signed up to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt Hancock said he was "delighted" that such a large number of former healthcare professionals had responded over the past 48 hours to the government's call for recently retired staff to come back to work.

"Delighted that 4,000 nurses and 500 doctors have signed up to return to the NHS in the first 48 hours of our call. Brilliant support in our national effort tackling," he captioned the video addressing the encouraging turnout.

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He did, however, stress that while this is a great start to fight this "unprecedented crisis", much more needs to be done.

"But we need many more. It’s easy to do, and we will make sure that your service is put to best effect. The whole country needs the NHS right now and if you’re a retired doctor or a retired nurse then your NHS needs you," he continued.

Hancock also acknowledged the "heroic effort from all those working so hard in our national effort to tackle coronavirus."

Watch as Italian neighbors sing to each other amid the coronavirus lockdown:

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This comes after it was announced that the NHS has struck a deal with private hospitals to acquire thousands of extra beds, ventilators, and medical staff, per the BBC. The publication detailed that an additional 8,000 hospital beds, nearly 1,200 ventilators, and almost 20,000 qualified staff will be available from next week.

The agreement means that the UK's private sector will essentially be reallocating almost all its national hospital capacity to the NHS. These extra resources will also help the NHS deliver other life-saving treatments.

Chief executive, Sir Simon Stevens, praised the deal, asserting: "We're dealing with an unprecedented global health threat and are taking immediate and exceptional action to gear up."

"The NHS is doing everything in its power to expand treatment capacity and is working with partners right across the country to do so."

People are flaunting government advice to stay at home and save lives by gathering in crowds to protest social distancing.

This news comes a month after President Trump advised people to stay at home to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic to ease pressure on the healthcare system and save lives.

He said: "Avoid gathering in groups of more than ten people. Avoid discretionary travel. And avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants, and public food courts."

However, per CNN, Trump unveiled plans to unveil plans to re-open the US economy today, despite the country experiencing record numbers of coronavirus deaths.

Donald Trump said his authority on reopening states is total: 

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Now, opponents of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order in Michigan have staged a protest dubbed "Operation Gridlock" on Wednesday, the NY Mag reports. It saw the streets filled with cars. There were so many, in fact, that the route of an ambulance was blocked.

Others simply defied social distancing measures to gather in crowds. They waved pro-Trump and anti-Whitmer signs, with a reporter revealing that he heard chants of "recall Whitmer," "U-S-A," and "lock her up."

This came after four Michigan residents filed a lawsuit claiming that Whitmer had violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights.

"It's taking a sledgehammer to an ant." their attorney told Fox 2, per the NY Mag. "We believe it is over-broad and overreaching. There is a way to do it appropriately without infringing on constitutional rights like the governor has."

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Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a group of over 100 people gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina to Governor Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order. Once again, some participated only by honking from their cars.

The protest was broken up because it was deemed a non-essential activity and one person was arrested.

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The Raleigh News & Observer reports that the protest was organized through a private Facebook group, ReopenNC, which "wants people to make their own stay-at-home decisions to avoid exposure to COVID-19."

Those who attended told the news outlet that they feared the implications that social distancing measures could have on small businesses and questioned the severity of the coronavirus pandemic.

A Raleigh resident told ABC 11: "The hospitals are empty. Nobody is sick with COVID. All of these COVID deaths are being attributed to COVID that aren't COVID deaths."

Someone had the best reaction to anti-lockdown protestors: driving a remote-controlled virus model around them during a demonstration in Wisconsin.

While the US government has urged people to stay at home to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus - in order to save lives - some people have taken it upon themselves to protest the measures. Last Friday, on the 24th April, a couple thousand people gathered in Madison, Wisconsin, to protest stay-at-home orders and the fact that Gov. Tony Evers has extended them until the 26th of May. Similar demonstrations have taken place across the US, but this was one of the nation's largest to date.

The event was reportedly referred to as some as the "Let's share COVID-19 rally". However, one person, who has remained unidentified, found a rather interesting way to hit back at the protestors; creating a remote-controlled "coronavirus", which featured a round, grey mass and red spikes. It's now known as the "Covidbot".

The prankster then proceeded to drive it around the protest, and even chased a few demonstrators that had gathered in the area.

Watch footage from the event, which shows the person controlling it standing a safe distance from the crowd: 

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As the Covidbot made its way through protestors at the demonstration, it served as a stark reminder of how quickly COVID-19 can be transmitted from person to person.

Watch as a 106-year-old woman is applauded for beating coronavirus:

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Police were present at the protest in Madison, but they remained at least six feet from protestors to adhere with social distancing guidelines - however, they did not enforce the measures on the crowd.

Watch the Covidbot in action once more: 

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We are urging all of our readers to adhere to the advice from their respective governments and medical bodies, and practice social distancing and self-isolation where required. Together, we will beat this.