Working as an anaesthetist in Cork University Hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic might seem a world removed from life on the track, but not so according to Paul Hession.
The Galway native, who competed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and is Ireland's fastest-ever man over 100 and 200 metres, finds himself on the frontline as the country attempts to get to grips with the coronavirus.
Working in the intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Cork, Hession has witnessed first-hand the consequences the virus has had on the infrastructure in the country.
The 37-year-old says the positive reaction of the public to the restrictions means the ICU in Cork didn't witness the numbers predicted at the beginning of the outbreak in Ireland, but any complacency would have a significant impact.
"I think it has been well documented how we are short of intensive care beds in Ireland, compared to even Italy where we saw the pandemonium and chaos and they have six times the number of beds that we have," he told 2fm's Game On.
"There's isn't much leeway and if we got a surge in admissions, it wouldn't take much to tip us over. It's very important for Ireland in particular to have a graduated response to this."
We have a surge capacity that wasn't there in January
Hession says the Irish government's decision to begin easing restrictions in a five-phased approach is a positive one and believes the medical system is now better set-up than it was even just a couple of short months ago.
"We do have capacity to deal with an increased in admissions. We have empty beds, empty ICU beds. We have a surge capacity that wasn't there in January.
"It's a personal point of view, and I can only speak in my experience here in Cork, there is leeway to relax the restrictions.
"The five-point plan, three weeks apart is a sensible approach and hopefully in August we will be in a better place."
With a busy work day, two young kids to look after and studying for a Masters, Hession admits Joe Wicks' daily workouts with his kids is as far as his exercise regime stretches to at the moment.
Still, the sprinter says he is able to draw on his athletic experience in his day-to-day work.
I need to keep my head a lot when I'm down in resuscitation department of the emergency room, or the operating theater when things go wrong
"You learn about dealing with pressure and planning and everything that comes into your day-to-day in sport that you don't really think when you are in the middle of it," he said.
"It's only when you are thrust into a different environment I realise I can use a lot of the stuff I did as an athlete in my day to day as a doctor.
"In my line of work, I deal with some risky scenarios and very unwell patients, so I need to keep my head a lot when I'm down in resuscitation department of the emergency room, or the operating theater when things go wrong.
"You are the one people often look to at the head of the bed to keep the head. In that sense I am well suited to it from my time in sport."
