Public health staff ‘on their knees’, Health Committee hears

In the grip of Covid-19, the meeting heard Ireland only has 60 public health specialists compared to 180 staff in countries of a similar size, such as New Zealand and Scotland.

Public health specialists are “on their knees” but are getting “zero respect” from the Government, which has yet to grant the frontline workers consultant status, the Oireachtas Health Committee heard on Wednesday.

As the existing contract tracing system began to crumble this week, with 2,500 Covid-19 positive patients being asked to follow-up with their close contacts, an Oireachtas committee heard that the very people tasked with protecting public health are not being valued.