Reports: Irish premier, former doctor, resumes practising amid crisis

Ireland’s prime minister is to resume his former profession as a doctor to help healthcare workers struggling with high coronavirus patient numbers, local media reported on Sunday.

Leo Varadkar, who practised as a doctor for seven years before giving up the profession to become a politician, will now work one shift a week during the coronavirus crisis, according to state broadcaster RTE and other Irish media.

“He wanted to help out even in a small way,” Varadkar’s spokesperson told RTE.

Varadkar is set to carry out phone assessments with people thought to have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, according to the Irish Times newspaper.

Read also: Scottish chief medical officer quits after ignoring virus advice

Following election losses in February, Varadkar has remained a caretaker prime minister during the epidemic and as three tied parties seek alliances to overcome a hung parliament.

Ireland, like much of Europe, is enforcing tight restrictions on public life to curb the spread of Covid-19, including widespread closures of schools and of businesses providing non-essential services.

Irish officials have reported 4,604 cases of coronavirus as well as 137 Covid-19 deaths in the Republic of Ireland, according to Sunday figures from the Johns Hopkins University. (dpa)