The forgotten frontline: Our public health specialists are struggling to meet demand

Not all heroes wear PPE. Tucked away and out of sight, the country’s 60 or so public health specialists are at breaking point, writes Neil Michael.

Dr Ronan Glynn, acting chief medical officer, with Dr Derval Igoe, specialist in public health medicine in the background at a Covid-19 update press conference at the Department of Health. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

If you hear the words “frontline” and “worker”, you’d be forgiven for imagining a nurse.

Alternatively, you might think of someone dressed head to toe in personal protective equipment.