Irish Examiner view: Spiritual and temporal gaps in the ranks

Skills shortages

As we call medical and health care staff out of retirement to assist the booster programme, we are also handicapped by a growing shortfall in numbers of pharmacists, and thus weakening our ability to manage future waves of viral infection.

If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it is to realise how much we depend upon one another to be healthy and safe. But, as we are on the point of entering the third year of the pandemic, there are increasing pressures on those who look after our collective well-being and gaps in the ranks are beginning to form.

In Ireland, as we call medical and health care staff out of retirement to assist the booster programme, we are also handicapped by a growing shortfall in numbers of pharmacists, and thus weakening our ability to manage future waves of viral infection.