The deaths of two healthcare workers in Kilkenny has highlighted the "great debt" we owe to frontline health workers during the Covid-19 crisis.
The tribute from SIPTU came after the Ireland East Hospital Group last night confirmed that two healthcare workers at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny had died after testing positive for Covid-19.
The health workers are a man and a woman and died within the last two days.
Both are from Co Kilkenny and had families in the area. The man is understood to have been in his 40s and the woman in her 50s.
A spokesperson said: "We wish to give our sincere condolences to their family, friends and colleagues." There was no further comment from the hospital.
Hospital management today held discussions with staff members in relation to the deaths, which have caused great shock in the area and within the wider healthcare community.
Paul Bell of SIPTU’s health division said the deaths were "absolutely devastating" and had brought an enormous sense of shock to the wider community.
Mr Bell said: "We owe a great debt to our members in the frontline of the health services and those who are actually somewhat hidden in the support services and admin services who come to work every day to do a good job.
"When you’re in the frontline of such a battle, you are exposed to risk."
"It's a hard job to stay at home but the importance of it is vital for our community"
Mr Bell said SIPTU was satisfied at the moment that all possible precautions were being put in place for health workers by their employers, but stressed that the union is in constant contact with the HSE and other providers to ensure that requests for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other measures are complied with.
He added: "This is a constant battle and there is risk associated with being involved in the health service. It is a great blow and we do hope that this does not recur in the next few weeks although we have a long time to go in trying to defeat this virus throughout the country."
Local GP Dr Tadhg Crowley said the tragedies highlighted the "seriousness" of the current crisis.
Dr Crowley said: "It brings home the importance of following the public health message. Healthcare workers are putting themselves on the frontline.
"It’s a hard job to stay at home but the importance of it is vital for our community. It’s only if we stick together through this that we’re going to pull through."
St Luke’s General Hospital is the main acute hospital for Kilkenny and Carlow, with a population in those two counties of almost 160,000, and also serves parts of Tipperary, Laois, Waterford and Wexford.
Among the health areas it covers are paediatrics, general surgery, cancer care, accident and emergency, as well as a maternity unit and gynaecology and obstetrics.
It is located on the Freshford Road in Kilkenny and has about 300 beds.
