Med staff should be prioritised in shops

A KERRY County Councillor is calling for preferential treatment to be given to medical workers in supermarkets and shops during the COVID-19 crisis.

Though working long hours at the coalface of the crisis medical workers, face the same difficulties as the rest of the population when it comes to shopping and stocking up on necessary home supplies.

For many health workers this came to a head on Saturday when – in the wake of Friday’s night’s lockdown announcement – many shops were visited by panic buyers. This meant many medical staff – coming off the ends of long shifts and with little time to get some shopping and get home to rest – found it difficult to get what was needed.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Mikey Sheehy – who was contacted by several anxious HSE workers – has called on shops to prioritise service for healthcare workers.

“I was contacted by a number of front-line HSE staff regarding queues at supermarket outlets on Saturday morning. Many of these staff are now working 12-hour shifts six days a week, which is leaving a very limited time frame for domestic tasks such as shopping,” he said.

“Considering the incredible community spirit that has been shown throughout Ireland in the face of this pandemic, I would make the following suggestion: That all HSE staff, on production of valid staff identification, be allowed to enter any supermarket at the front of a pre-existing queue, thereby saving their precious time. I feel that our communities are standing with this group of heroes at the moment and would be delighted to help them by way of this small gesture”.