There has been a wave of community kindness in response to the coronavirus crisis, with armies of volunteers putting up their hands to help the elderly and healthcare workers.

Key points: Thousands of volunteers have signed up to help over-worked medicos

Thousands of volunteers have signed up to help over-worked medicos They help with everything from child care to shopping

They help with everything from child care to shopping Another charity drive is helping the elderly so they don't have to go out

A call to arms by a concerned Perth resident on the weekend has already attracted thousands of volunteers to assist nurses, doctors and others under strain from the burgeoning health crisis.

The Facebook page Adopt a Healthcare Worker encourages the public to adopt a frontline health worker and help them out with everything from shopping to cleaning their home.

Registered nurse and mother of two Lisa Cooke is one of the 11,000 people who have signed up to the page.

She has already received offers of help from people to babysit her children when schools close.

Nurse Lisa Cooke is self-isolating in Perth with her children Mason (7) and Makayla (5). ( ABC News: Claire Moodie )

"I was just really surprised by the overwhelming support from the public to help us keep going to work," Ms Cooke said.

"I've had a couple of people already reach out and say, 'look, if you need us to come over and watch the kids for you so you can work a shift at the hospital, then we're happy to do that'.

"It's very humbling and it's lovely."

A sign offering help to neighbours in a Perth street in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. ( ABC News: Elicia Kennedy )

Ms Cooke said she was currently in self-isolation with her children because she had some mild flu-like symptoms.

She said she did not know if she had coronavirus, so she would not return to work until she was tested.

Lisa Cooke and her children are in self-isolation in Perth while she waits to go back to work as a nurse. ( Supplied: Lisa Cooke )

"I've already had someone offer to come and drop off supplies to my front door," she said.

"It's wonderful. It's just a matter of coming together and problem-solving.

"We'll get through this."

Shift workers missing out on supplies

Perth resident Chris Nicholas set up the Adopt a Healthcare Worker page on the weekend after a friend, who is a nurse, expressed concern about not being able to find any toilet paper in the shops.

"Because she works shift work, she can't get to the shops at times when certain things are in stock," Mr Nicholas said.

Chris Nicholas set up the site because he says healthcare staff may burn out without support at home. ( Supplied: Chris Nicholas )

"And I thought, I'm a bit more flexible than that and I'm sure some of my other friends are more flexible, so I started the Adopt a Healthcare worker group.

"When I started, I thought it would be a few of my friends who are doctors and nurses.

"By the end of Saturday night, we had about 500 people. As we speak, we are at 11,355 members."

Community initiatives to help vulnerable people are popping up over social media. ( Supplied : Becky Wass )

Mr Nicholas said he was hoping to expand the page to become a national movement in the next couple of days.

"Our frontline health care staff are already working ridiculous hours to prepare for this," he said. "And there's no respite for them in sight at least until August/September.

"It's just a way of really trying to help them out because at the end of the day they are the ones that are going to keep us and our family members safe from COVID-19."

Informal support networks spring up to help elderly

As the numbers of confirmed cases grow, groups of volunteers and individuals offering to help neighbours are popping up all over the suburbs.

WA COVID-19 snapshot Confirmed cases so far: 661

Confirmed cases so far: 661 Recovered: 648

Recovered: 648 Deaths: 9

Deaths: 9 Total tests: 392,908 Latest information from the WA Health Department





More than 1,000 people have registered to help the elderly and vulnerable under a scheme being coordinated by the office of the state Member for Perth, John Carey.

A similar service has been launched in Mandurah.

Council on the Ageing WA chief executive Christine Allen said the volunteer help was going to be needed by older people who were being urged to self-isolate, but did not have family or friends to support them.

Council On The Ageing WA chief executive Christine Allen has welcomed the community's support for the elderly. ( ABC News: Claire Moodie )

"When something like this happens, it brings out the worst in people, but it also brings out the best in people," Ms Allen said.

"And I think we are starting to see that now with all the volunteers that are coming forward to help vulnerable and older people."

Ms Allen said the panic buying needed to stop as it was causing anxiety for older Australians.

"People need to take a breath and think when they go to the supermarket to overload on products that they may not need, think of the impact that has on elderly people," she said.

"I think we need to keep in mind that there are vulnerable people and this can cause them quite a bit of distress when they can't get something as simple as a toilet roll in their local supermarket."